a tie for the all-time low of 1.8 percent.

The consumer price index has averaged around two percent for the last year.

The recent decline occurred as a result of the world's declining oil prices, which pushed the fuel & power sector down for the month by 1.8 percent.

Households experienced lower electricity costs as the fuel adjustment portion of electricity bills fell 22 percent.

But it came as health insurance premiums rose 7.5 percent, increasing the health & personal care sector by four percent.

Consumer prices on average advanced 0.3 percent during the month, as the all-items index rose from 107.1 in March to 107.4 in April. The transport & vehicles sector inched up 0.2 percent, as a reflection of the 0.9 percent increase in the average cost of gasoline. The food sector and the rent sector increased 0.1 percent during the month.

The remaining sectors -- clothing & footwear, tobacco & liquor, households, goods, services & supplies and education, recreation & reading -- were unchanged between March and April.

BUSINESS BUC