CPI for Sept 2019 rises 1.1pct - Statistics Dept

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 1.1 percent in Sept 2019 to 121.8 as against 120.5 in the same month of the preceding year, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said today.

In a statement, chief statistician Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the increase in the overall index was driven by the index of miscellaneous goods and services (2.7 percent), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (2.4 percent), food and non-alcoholic beverages (2.2 percent) and furnishings, household equipment & routine household maintenance (2.1 percent).

On a monthly basis, he said the CPI remained unchanged at 121.8 from August 2019.

Meanwhile, the CPI in the third quarter of 2019 increased by 1.3 percent to 121.7 from 120.1 in the same quarter of the previous year.

Mohd Uzir said the increase was mainly contributed by the indices of furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (2.9 percent), food and non-alcoholic beverages (2.4 percent), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (2.4 percent) and miscellaneous goods and services (2.3 percent).

On a quarterly basis, the CPI increased 0.3 percent as compared with the second quarter of 2019.

Five states - Kuala Lumpur (1.7 percent), Selangor and Putrajaya (1.5 percent), Penang (1.5 percent), Johor (1.2 percent) and Perak (1.2 percent) - surpassed the national CPI rate of 1.1 percent in Sept 2019 as compared with the same month in the preceding year.

The core index rose 1.5 percent in Sept 2019 over the same month of the previous year.

Among the major groups which influenced the higher core rate were miscellaneous goods and services (2.7 percent), food and non-alcoholic beverages (2.4 percent) and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (2.1 percent).

The core index excludes most volatile items of fresh food as well as administered prices of goods and services.

- Bernama