The fall in consumer prices during the month of April unexpectedly decreased the overall cost of living in the US. It is happening for the first time in last 13-month period that this decrease has happened.

The fall has given the Federal Reserve a chance to keep the interest rates at zero for 2010 rather than increasing it, as many experts had advised the bank to do.

While the fall was very meager, it is worth noting that the figures have come down. The figures were submitted by the Labor Department, and did not include food and fuel. Also, the core rate remained unchanged.

It should be noted that the retailers like Wal-Mart have reduced their prices so as to attract the customers. This is being done since the unemployment rates are as high as 10 per cent. Coupled with that the on going European crisis also did its part and now the experts believe that the prices can go down even further.

In the last 12 months the prices of items have increased 2.2 per cent after they rose by 2.3 per cent during last month on a year-on-year basis.