Development Planning Unit, Government of the British Virgin Islands

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Development Planning Unit
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What's New> Articles>Consumer Price Index March 06 Table 1

Introduction

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the first quarter of the year, March 2006 stood at 138.61. The previous month ( February 2006) CPI stood at 137.31. One quarter earlier ( December 2005), the index stood at 136.91. and one year earlier ( March 2005), stood at 133.86.

Monthly Comparison

In a monthly comparison, there were some slight changes within the subgroups. The first subgroup- Food, Beverage & Tobacco went up by 1.32 percentage points due mainly to the upward movements in the cost of Vegetable Oils, Potatoes (White), V-8, Lunch and Beer. Furniture & Household Supplies subgroup increased by 5.70 percentage points due to the increase in the cost of Garbage Bags and Insecticides. The Clothing and Footwear subgroup increased by 0.49 percentage points due to the increase in the cost of Watches, Ladies' Dresses and Boy's Shirts. Housing subgroup decreased by 0.42 percentage points due to the decrease in the cost of Paint. The Transportation subgroup decreased 0.70 percentage points due to the decrease in the cost of Bicycles. Services subgroup decreased by 0.01 percentage points due to the decrease in the cost of Aspirin/Paracetamol. Miscellaneous subgroup decreased by 0.45 percentage points due to the decrease in the cost of Toilet Soap.

Quarterly Comparison

On a quarterly comparison, the Food, Beverage & Tobacco subgroup rose by 1.96 percentage points. Furniture & Household Supplies subgroup increased by 5.75 percentage points, Clothing & Footwear subgroup went up by 0.93 percentage points, Services subgroup increased by 0.04 percentage points, and the Miscellaneous subgroup by 0.93 percentage points while Housing decreased by 0.42 percentage points, Transportation by 0.76 percentage points.

Annual Comparison

In an annual comparison, there were increases in all the subgroups. The Food, Beverage & Tobacco subgroup increased by 5.45 percentage points, the Housing subgroup increased by 4.59 percentage points, The Furniture & Household Supplies increased by 3.75 percentage points, Clothing & Footwear subgroup increased by 2.77 percentage points, Transportation subgroup by 1.47 percentage points , Services subgroup by 1.71 percentage points and Miscellaneous subgroup increased by 1.05 percentage points.

Rate of Inflation

The point-to-point monthly, quarterly and annual rates of inflation stood at 0.95,1.24 and 3.55 percentage points respectively.

TABLE 1
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: MONTHLY, QUARTERLY AND ANNUAL COMPARISONS
(MARCH 1995=100)

SUBGROUPS	Wt.	Mar. 2006	Feb 2005	Mon. Comp.	Dec. 2005	Quarter Comp.	March 2005	Ann. Comp.
Food, Beverage & Tobacco	268	131.04	129.34	1.32	128.52	1.96	124.27	5.45
Housing	195	138.14	138.72	-0.42	138.72	-0.42	132.07	4.59
Furniture & Household Supplies	118	161.57	152.86	5.70	152.78	5.75	155.72	3.75
Clothing & Footwear	151	119.61	119.02	0.49	118.51	0.93	116.38	2.77
Transportation	117	148.35	149.40	-0.70	149.50	-0.76	146.21	1.47
Services	99	152.08	152.10	-0.01	152.02	0.04	149.52	1.71
Miscellaneous	52	134.87	135.49	-0.45	133.63	0.93	133.47	1.05
All Groups	1000	138.61	137.31	0.95	136.91	1.24	133.86	3.55

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