WASHINGTON — The Consumer Price Index for baked foods and cereal products was flat in November, at 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 lower for the first time since July, falling 0.1%.

Of the 18 items tracked by Milling & Baking News, 9 posted month-over-month declines, 8 finished higher and one category was unchanged.

The November index for cereals and bakery products before seasonal adjustment was 249.9% of the 1982-84 average, down 0.3% from a year ago. For all food at home, the November index was 216.5, up 1.7% from November 2009.

The C.P.I. for cereals and cereal products in November was 214.4, down 0.6% from October and down 2.7% from November 2009. The index for products within this category included: flour and prepared mixes, 215.1, down 2.9% from October and down 1.4% from the previous year; breakfast cereal, 213.6, down 0.1% from the previous month and down 2.7% from a year ago; and rice, pasta and corn meal, 220.2, down 0.5% from October and down 3.1% from November 2009.

The price index for bakery products in November was 269, up 0.3% from October and up 0.9% from November 2009.

The November index for bread was 161.4, down 0.9% from October and unchanged from November 2009. Under this heading, the C.P.I. for white bread was 295.7, up 1% from October and up 1.7% from November 2009. For bread other than white, the index was 307.7, up 1.3% from October but down 0.7% from a year ago.
The price index for fresh biscuits, rolls and muffins in November was 158.2, up 0.8% from October and up 2.8% from November 2009. The November index for cakes, cupcakes and cookies was 254.9, up 1.7% from October and up 0.2% from November 2009. Under this segment, other price indexes included fresh cakes and cupcakes, 261.7, up 1.6% from October and up 1.1% from November 2009; and cookies, 248.2, up 2.3% from the previous month but down 0.5% from the previous year.

The C.P.I. for other bakery products in November was 241.9, down 1.8% from October but up 0.9% from November 2009. Under this heading, other price indexes in November included: fresh sweet rolls, coffee cakes and donuts, 254.1, up 0.5% from October and up 1.4% from November 2009; crackers and cracker products, 277.8, down 2.7% from October but up 0.8% from November 2009; and frozen and refrigerated bakery products, pies, tarts and turnovers, 251.2, down 1.1% from October and down 0.5% from the previous year.