WASHINGTON — The Consumer Price Index for baked foods and cereal products fell 0.1% in October, to 249.9, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The index for all food at home, meanwhile, finished higher for the third straight month, increasing 0.2% after rising 0.4% in September.
Of the 18 items tracked by Milling & Baking News, 11 posted month-over-month declines, while 7 finished higher.

The October index for cereals and bakery products before seasonal adjustment was 249.9% of the 1982-84 average, down 0.6% from a year ago. For all food at home, the October index was 216.7, up 1.4% from October 2009.

The C.P.I. for cereals and cereal products in October was 215.7, down 0.4% from September and down 2.2% from October 2009. The index for products within this category included: flour and prepared mixes, 221.6, down 0.9% from September and down 3.1% from the previous year; breakfast cereal, 213.8, down 0.1% from the previous month and down 1.4% from a year ago; and rice, pasta and corn meal, 221.4, down 0.8% from September and down 3.3% from October 2009.

The price index for bakery products in October was 268.2, up 0.1% from September and up 0.1% from October 2009.

The October index for bread was 159.8, up 0.3% from September but down 0.8% from October 2009. Under this heading, the C.P.I. for white bread was 292.7, down 0.4% from September and down 0.1% from October 2009. For bread other than white, the index was 303.6, up 0.8% from September but down 2.3% from a year ago.

The price index for fresh biscuits, rolls and muffins in October was 156.9, up 2.2% from September and up 1.5% from October 2009. The October index for cakes, cupcakes and cookies was 250.6, up 0.3% from September but down 0.6% from October 2009. Under this segment, other price indexes included fresh cakes and cupcakes, 257.6, up 0.4% from September and up 0.5% from October 2009; and cookies, 242.6, down 0.1% from the previous month and down 1.6% from the previous year.

The C.P.I. for other bakery products in October was 246.4, down 1.3% from September but up 1% from October 2009. Under this heading, other price indexes in October included: fresh sweet rolls, coffee cakes and donuts, 252.8, down 1.4% from September but up 1.8% from October 2009; crackers and cracker products, 285.6, down 1.4% from September but up 0.5% from October 2009; and frozen and refrigerated bakery products, pies, tarts and turnovers, 253.9, down 0.4% from September and down 0.7% from the previous year.