The inflation rate for flooring rose again in January, for the second month in a row.
The annual rate for flooring and carpet rose from 10.5% in December to 12.2% in January. This is the highest rate in more than a year.
The increase was driven by higher carpet and rug prices. The rate jumped from 9.4% to 12.1%: the rate has been rising since September’s 5.8%.
Smooth flooring continued its pattern of the past year of accelerated increases followed by slower rises, with the rate dropping from 19.7% in December to 17.3% in January. In the past year increases have ranged from 13.6% to 21%.
