The Consumer Price Index for April 2010 declined -0.1% from last month. This report is from the BLS website.

The drop was all energy, which declined -1.4% since last month. Food, on the other hand, rose +0.2%. Not seasonally adjusted, CPI has risen 2.2% for the year. Fueling up your ride has increased 38% for the year. No more cheap used cars either, they are up 16.6% for the year. Energy of all types (which includes heating your home, electricity and so on), is up 18.5% for the year. Below is the percent change in regional regular gas prices from one year ago.

Look at the flatness of prices minus food and energy:

The continuing stability of the index for all items less food and energy has resulted in an increase over the last 12 months of 0.9 percent, the smallest 12-month increase since January 1966.

While housing is heavily weighted (obviously the biggest expense is shelter for most people), look at the two categories of energy vs. housing in the below graph. Housing is not just home prices, it's everything related to sheltering oneself.

CPI-W also declined -0.1% for the month. This index is used to calculate cost of living adjustments for social security.