ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Tuesday, September 24, 1996            TAG: 9609240059
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: B-8  EDITION: METRO 

ROANOKE REGIONAL ECONOMIC INDICATORS

The Consumer Price Index rose 2.9 percent from 152.9 a year ago to 157.3 at the end of August.

The same basket of goods and services that cost $149 in August 1994 had risen to $152.90 the following year and to $157.30 at the end of last month.

The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics uses an average of costs in 1982-84 as a base of 100. If the government still used 1967 as a base year, goods and services that cost $100 then would have cost $471.10 at the end of August.

LENGTH: Short :   20 lines
ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC:  21 charts. color.