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What's New> Articles> Consumer Price Index March02 Table 1 |
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Introduction The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for March 2002 stood at 126.9, slightly up from the 126.8 recorded in the previous month. A quarter earlier (December), the index stood at 126.7, and one year earlier it stood at 128.2. Monthly Comparison The subgroups mainly responsible for the increase in the monthly index were: Food, Beverage and Tobacco which increased 0.08 percent due mainly to higher prices of breakfast sandwiches, milk and butter/margarine. The Furniture and Household Supplies subgroup, which also contributed to the increase, went up 0.74 percent due to the rising cost of refrigerators, forks and cutlery. The Services subgroup registered an increase of 0.25 percent, as a result of higher prices for vitamins and paracetamol. The Miscellaneous subgroup recorded a 0.31 increase due to the higher prices of books/magazines and lotion. Two subgroups declined during the period under review- namely Clothing & Footwear and Transportation. Clothing & Footwear took a 0.35 percent fall due to a downward price movement of ladies dresses and boy shirts. Transportation dropped by 0.30 percent due mainly to a decrease in gasoline prices. Housing was the only subgroup that remained unchanged for the period at 131.9 Quarter Comparison The increase in the quarterly comparison was mainly due to the 0.85 percent rise in Food, Beverage & Tobacco and Furniture & Household Supplies 0.34 percent. The Services subgroup increased by 0.08 percent, while the Housing subgroup remained the same index as the previous quarter. The other subgroups indicated declines for the period (December 2001 - March, 2002). Clothing & Footwear fell by 0.35, Transportation by 1.62, and the miscellaneous subgroup by 0.70 percent. Annual Comparison On an annual comparison, four subgroups indicted increases. Housing rose by 0.53 percent, Transportation by 2.36 percent, Furniture & Household Supplies, with the largest increase, went up by 3.60 percent and Services went up 0.42 percent. All other subgroup indicted significant declines. Food, Beverage & Tobacco fell by 4.25 percent, Clothing & Footwear by 5.49 percent and Miscellaneous by 1.16 percent. Rate of Inflation The point-to-point monthly, quarterly and annual rates of inflation stood at 0.08,0.16 and -1.01 percent respectively. TABLE 1
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