April CPI inflation report: Egg prices decline for first time in months
FILE - Eggs for sale at a grocery store in Los Angeles, California, US, on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. Photographer: Eric Thayer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Egg prices in the U.S. fell for the first time in months, but their costs remain near record highs, according to the Consumer Price Index released Tuesday.
Egg prices
By the numbers:
The Consumer Price Index showed the average price for a dozen Grade A eggs dropped more than 12% to $5.12 in April. In April 2024, U.S. egg prices averaged $2.86 per dozen.
Big picture view:
This was the first month-to-month decline in egg prices since October 2024.
In March, U.S. egg prices had climbed to a record $6.23 per dozen, which could have been attributed to demand for Easter.
The backstory:
Egg prices have steadily increased because of a persistent outbreak of bird flu, which has killed more than 169 million birds – most of them egg-laying chickens -- since early 2022.
READ MORE: Egg prices will climb even more this year, USDA says: See the data
Grocery prices
Big picture view:
Overall, grocery prices fell 0.4% last month, pulled down in part by the big 12.7% drop in the price of eggs. It was the biggest drop in food costs at home since September 2020, the government said.
Dig deeper:
The report suggests the tariffs haven't yet impacted the prices of many items.
READ MORE: "Truth in Tariffs Act" would require stores to display cost of tariffs on items
By the numbers:
Some other grocery items that saw a price drop last month include:
- Oranges, including tangerines -3.7%
- Frozen fruits and vegetables -3%
- Frozen and refrigerated bakery products, pies, tarts and turnovers -2.9%
- Breakfast cereal -2.5%
- Rice -2.3%
- Breakfast sausage -2.1%
Some non-grocery items with price decreases include:
- Fuel oil -1.3%
- Dishes and flatware -2.6%
- Men’s shirts and sweaters -2.8%
- Newspapers and magazines -2.3%
- Admission to sporting events -12.2%
CPI inflation report
Fed chair warns tariffs could lead to inflation
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has warned that President Donald Trump's tariffs could make inflation worse. LiveNOW's Austin Westfall breaks it down with Bill Adams, chief economist for Comercia Bank.
Meanwhile:
Inflation cooled for the third straight month in April even after some of President Donald Trump’s tariffs took effect, though economists and many businesses expect inflation will climb in the coming months.
RELATED: Fed rate and tariffs: Why interest is unchanged again, and what it means for you
By the numbers:
Consumer prices rose 2.3% in April from a year ago, the Labor Department said Tuesday, down from 2.4% in March and the smallest increase in more than four years.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from government data released Tuesday, May 13, 2025, as part of April’s Consumer Price Index. This story was reported from Detroit.