The Ministry of Development Planning & Statistics (MDPS) has released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of November 2016. The CPI of November, 2016 reached to 108.6 showing an increase of 0.1% [M-o-M basis], when compared to CPI of October 2016. Compared to CPI of November 2015, [Y-o-Y basis] of 2.0% has been registered in the general index (CPI) of this month. 

     

An analysis [on M-o-M basis] of CPI for November, 2016 compared with October, 2016 CPI, shows that there are four main groups, where respective indices in this month have increased, namely: “Transport” by 0.8%, “Recreation and Culture” by 0.7%, “Clothing and Footwear” by 0.3%, “Restaurants and Hotels” by 0.1%. A decrease in prices is also noticed in “Food and Beverages” by 1.1%, and “Miscellaneous Goods and Services” by 0.4%.  The other groups: “Tobacco”, “Housing, Water, Electricity and other Fuel”, “Furniture and Household Equipment”, “Health”,  “Communication”, and “Education” have remained flat at the last month’s price level. Graph (2) and (3) in the attachment below show the movement of monthly CPIs of “Food and Beverages” and “Housing, Water, Electricity and Gas”.

              A comparison of the CPI, November, 2016 with the CPI, November, 2015 (Annual Change), points a rise in the general index (CPI), by 2.0%. This [Y-o-Y] price surge is primarily due to the increasing prices seen in the eight groups, namely: “Transport” by 5.8%”, “Recreation and Culture” by 5.7%, “Miscellaneous Goods and Services” by 3.7%, “Education” by 3.0% “Housing, Water, Electricity and other Fuel”, and “Furniture and Household Equipment” by 1.8% each,  “Clothing and Footwear” by 0.6, and “Communication” by 0.1%. Also, there has been a decrease in price levels in three groups, namely: “Food and Beverages” by 3.4%, “Restaurants and Hotels” by 1.7%, and “Health” by 0.8%, and For “Tobacco” group, there is no changes recorded. Table (1) and Graph (1)  in the attachment below show the monthly and annual comparison for CPI of November 2016, also graph (5) in the attachment below shows a monthly and annual change in CPI during November 2015 to November 2016.

The CPI of November, 2016 excluding “Housing, Water, Electricity and other Fuel” group stands at 106.6, showing  the same changes in monthly and annual rate as in CPI. Table (2)  in the attachment below presents CPI excluding “Housing, Water, Electricity and other Fuel” and Graph (4)  in the attachment below shows the monthly percentage change of CPI with and without Housing component.