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Saturday June 23, 2012

Consumer price index 1.7% higher in May


PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s inflation rate climbed 1.7% in May over the same month last year on higher prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages and non-food items.

The Statistics Department said yesterday the consumer price index (CPI) for food and non-alcoholic beverages and non-food increased 3% and 1.2% respectively from a year ago.

It said the CPI, when compared with April, increased by 0.2%.

For the January to May period, the inflation rate increased by 2.1% to 104.5 compared with 102.4 in the previous corresponding period.

The index for food and non-alcoholic beverages and non-food increased by 3.2% and 1.5% respectively during the five months, it said.

The department said the 2.1% increase between January and May was due to higher prices in all the main groups except for communication (-0.6%) and clothing and footwear (-0.4%).

Notable increases among the main groups were food and non-alcoholic beverages (+3.2%); housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (+1.8%), and transport (+1.1%).

Other increases were restaurants and hotels (+3.5%); education (+2.9%); miscellaneous goods and services (+2.7%); recreation services and culture (+2.3%); furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance and health by 2.2% respectively.

The index for alcoholic beverages and tobacco remained unchanged at 104.6.

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