|
Introduction
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of December 2000 stood at a 123.7
index level, up from the 123.6 index level recorded in the previous month.
One year earlier the index stood at 119.4.
Monthly
Comparison
The subgroup mainly responsible for the increase in the index was the Food,
Beverage & Tobacco subgroup which increased by 0.36 percent due to the
higher prices of ground beef, frozen fish, eggs, vegetables and fruits, teas and
rum. The Housing, Furniture & Household Supplies, Clothing &
Footwear, Transportation and Services subgroups all remained unchanged for
the period. The Miscellaneous subgroup, on the other hand, declined by
0.56 percent due to the lower prices of toilet soap and deodorants.
Annual
Comparison
On an annual comparison, all subgroups showed increases with the exception of
Clothing & Footwear which declined by 0.61 percent. Food, Beverage
& Tobacco increased by 0.89 percent, while Housing increased by 0.54
percent, Furniture & Household Supplies increased by 13.90 percent,
Transportation increased by 7.01 percent, Services increased by 5.85 percent and
Miscellaneous rose by 3.60 percent.
Rate of
Inflation
The point-to-point monthly and annual rates of inflation stood at 0.0.8 and 3.60
percent respectively.
Table 1
CONSUMER PRICE
INDEX: MONTHLY AND ANNUAL COMPARISONS
December 2000
(March 1995 - 100)
14k |
19k |
SUBGROUPS |
WEIGHT |
DEC. 2000 |
NOV. 2000 |
MONTHLY
COMPARISON |
SEPT. 2000
|
QUARTERLY COMPARISON
|
JUNE 2000
|
HALF-YEARLY COMPARISON
|
DEC.
1999
|
ANNUAL
COMPARISON |
Food, Beverage & Tobacco |
268 |
115.2 |
114.5 |
0.61 |
113.7 |
1.32 |
112.4 |
2.49 |
111.1 |
3.69 |
Housing |
195 |
131.2 |
130.5 |
0.54 |
130.5 |
0.54 |
130.5 |
0.54 |
130.0 |
0.92 |
Furniture & Household Supplies |
118 |
142.5 |
142.4 |
0.07 |
142.4 |
0.07 |
147.5 |
-3.39 |
132.5 |
7.55 |
Clothing & Footwear |
151 |
118.3 |
116.8 |
1.28 |
116.8 |
1.28 |
113.9 |
3.86 |
114.9 |
2.96 |
Transportation |
117 |
131.1 |
131.2 |
-0.08 |
131.2 |
-0.08 |
131.2 |
-0.08 |
125.3 |
4.63 |
Services |
99 |
118.0 |
117.0 |
0.85 |
117.6 |
0.34 |
117.6 |
0.34 |
111.9 |
5.45 |
Miscellaneous |
52 |
128.5 |
125.3 |
2.55 |
123.9 |
3.71 |
124.3 |
3.38 |
122.9 |
4.56 |
All
Groups |
1000 |
124.8 |
124.0 |
0.65 |
123.8 |
0.81 |
123.6 |
0.97 |
120.2 |
3.83 |
|
The