THE US consumer price index was up 0.3 per cent in July following a 0.1 per cent increase in June, the Labour Department said yesterday. Over 12 months, the price index rose 3 per cent, according to the department.

Excluding food and fuel price which fluctuate widely from month to month the consumer price index was equally «MDBO»u«MDNM»p 0.3 per cent in July and 2.7 per cent over the past 12 months. In June the core rate was up 0.2 per cent

For the first seven months of the year, the index rose at a 3.5 per cent annual rate, compared with a 9 per cent increase in the same period last year, and a 2.5 per cent increase for all of 1995.

Retail sales in the US rose 0.1 per cent in July after a revised 0.5 per cent drop the month before, the Commerce Department said yesterday.

Excluding car sales, July retail sales grew 0.3 per cent, the department said, against a 0.2 per cent drop in June.

On a year on year basis, retail sales were up 4.7 per cent in July, against a 4.3 per cent year on year increase in June.

Sales at car dealers fell 0.6 per cent in July compared with a 1.7 per cent fall in the previous month.

Durable goods sales fell 0.4 percent in July, after falling 0.8 percent in the previous month.

Nondurable goods sales rose 0.4 per cent, reversing a 0.4 per cent decline in June, according to the Commerce Department.