Consumer Price Index for 1st Quarter 2019

The Consumer Price Index, which stood at 102.4 in December 2018, registered a net increase of 2.0 points (or 2.0%) to reach 104.4 in March 2019.

The main contributors for the net increase in the CPI from December 2018 to March 2019 were:

(a) higher prices of vegetables (+1.6 points), ginger (+0.1 point), meat (+0.1 point), fruits (+0.1 point) and some other food products (+0.2 point);
(b) higher prices of goods for personal care (+0.1 point); and
(c) higher prices of some other goods and services (+0.6 point);
partly offset by
(d) lower prices of air tickets (-0.3 point) and gasolene (-0.3 point); and
(e) lower university fees (-0.2 point).

The headline inflation rate for the twelve months ending March 2019 works out to 1.4%, compared to 5.0% for the twelve months ending March 2018.

The headline inflation rate excluding “Alcoholic beverages and tobacco” for the twelve months ending March 2019 works out to 1.4% compared to 4.0% for the twelve months ending March 2018.