The Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA) has released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of March 2022. The CPI of March 2022 reached to 101.48 points showing an increase by 0.58% when compared to CPI of February 2022. Compared to CPI of March 2021, [Y-o-Y basis], an increase of 4.42% has been recorded in the general index (CPI) of this month. 

 

An analysis [on M-o-M basis] of CPI for March 2022 compared with CPI, February 2022, showed that there were six main groups, where respective indices in this month have increased, namely: “Recreation and Culture” by 7.85%, “Housing, Water, Electricity and other Fuel” by 1.35%, “Miscellaneous Goods and Services” by 0.85%, “Transport” by 0.41%, “Restaurants and Hotels” by 0.20%, and slightly increase, almost stable, on “Furniture and Household Equipment” by 0.04.

A decrease has been recorded on “Food and Beverages” by 3.37%, and “Clothing and Footwear” by 2.50%.  “Tobacco”, “Health”, “Communication”, and “Education” had remained flat at the last month’s price level. 

A comparison of the CPI, March 2022 with the CPI, March 2021 (Annual Change), an increase has been recorded in the general index (CPI), by 4.42%. This [Y-o-Y] price increase primary due to the prices rising in eight groups namely: “Recreation and Culture” by 37.61%, followed by “Miscellaneous Goods and Services” by 5.17% “Food and Beverages” by 3.44%, “Housing, Water, Electricity and other Fuel” by 2.25%, “Transport” by 1.57%, “Education” by 0.47%, “Furniture and Household Equipment” by 0.43%, and“Communication” by 0.31%. 

A Decrease has been shown in price levels in “Health” by 3.09%, “Restaurants and Hotels” by 2.64%, and “Clothing and Footwear” by 0.44%. No changes recorded on “Tobacco”. 

The CPI of March 2022 excluding “Housing, Water, Electricity and other Fuel” group stands at 104.37 points recorded an increase by 0.41%, when compared to the index of February 2022. Compared with counterpart in 2021, the CPI of March index increased by 4.94%. 

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