---
title: Energy prices change unevenly
description: The energy component of US consumer prices, with the full CPI component snapshot to download.
styles: [scientific]
---

Energy prices move in sharp rises and falls rather than following a steady climb. This chart shows the price index itself, so a fall means a lower index level rather than slower inflation.

```chart
type: line
title: US energy prices rise and fall sharply
data: { csv: data.csv }
encoding: { x: month, y: energy }
axes:
  y: { label: Energy price index, unit: "1982–84 = 100", digits: 6 }
```

*Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U, not seasonally adjusted, via [FRED](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIENGNS), retrieved 2 October 2026. The CSV retains [all items](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCNS), [core](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPILFENS), [food](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIUFDNS), energy and [shelter](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CUUR0000SAH1). October 2025 remains empty in this snapshot; it is not filled with zero or interpolated.*

## Work with this example

Keep `report.rmd` and the [CSV observations](data.csv) together in one folder. Change `encoding.y` to another component's column to explore its index on the same basis.

```sh
richview generate report.rmd
```

Zoom into a period and inspect a month by keyboard or pointer. The chart's Table and CSV actions show the fields used here; the CSV above retains every original column.