September CPI up 1.5% on annual basis

PETALING JAYA: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in September 2016 rose 1.5% to 115.3 from 113.6 in the same month last year, which was the same pace as August 2016 at 1.5% year-on-year.
According to the Statistics Department, the increase in the index for food and non-alcoholic beverages (+3.0%) and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (+2.1%) were countered by the decrease in the index of transport group by 5.5%; communication (-2.6%) and clothing and footwear (-0.6%).
“Transport group made downward contribution, down 5.5% in September 2016, following falls of 6.7% and 9.9% in August 2016 and July 2016. The average price of 1 litre of RON95 petrol was RM1.70 in September 2016, down from RM1.75 in August 2016 and RM1.95 in September 2015. RON97 petrol prices also decreased to RM2.05 in September 2016, from RM2.10 in August 2016 and RM2.35 in September 2015,” it said.
The index for food and non-alcoholic beverages increased 3.0% in the September 2016. The increase in the index for food and non-alcoholic beverages was reflected in each state in Malaysia especially those in highly urbanised states such as Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya, Penang and Johor.
On a monthly basis, the index for food and non-alcoholic beverages decreased 0.2% in September 2016 reflecting the slower increase in the prices of fresh food prices during the month due to higher production.
Index for housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels rose 2.1% in September 2016 compared with the same month last year, with most of the movement influenced by higher index of rentals for housing (+2.5%) and electricity (+1.3%).
Based on a seasonally adjusted term, the CPI for September 2016 decreased by 0.3% compared with August 2016.
Core inflation rose 2.1% in September 2016 compared with the same period of the previous year.
The CPI for January to September 2016 rose of 2.2% as compared with the same period last year. This follows a 2.3% increase in the period January to August 2016 and 2.4% increase in the period January to July 2016.
Core inflation, which excludes most volatile items of fresh food, as well as administered prices of goods and services, records changes ranging from 2.0% to 3.6% in the period January to September 2016 compared with the same period the previous year.