Thailand
Malaysia: February inflation up 0.1%
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) for February rose 0.1% from a year ago due to increases in goods and services as well as food and non-alcoholic beverages.
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said yesterday that the CPI rose to 122.5 from 122.4.
On a monthly basis, the CPI increased 0.3% from January’s decline.
“The CPI without fuel increased 0.4% in February 2021 to 113.6 as compared to 113.1 in the same month of the preceding year, ” he said.
The CPI without fuel covers all goods and services except unleaded petrol RON 95, unleaded petrol RON 97 and diesel.
Commenting on the on-year February CPI, he said the increase was driven by higher prices for miscellaneous goods and services (1.6%); food and non-alcoholic beverages (1.4%); alcohol beverages and tobacco (0.7%).
Other factors were higher health costs (0.7%); furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (0.3%); recreation services and culture (0.1%) and education (0.1%) which contributed 50.7% to overall weight.
“Out of 552 items covered in the CPI, 326 items showed an increase in February 2021.
“On the contrary, 147 items declined, while 79 items were unchanged, ” he said.
Mohd Uzir Mahidin pointed out that transport fell by 2% to 111.6 from a year ago and this group contributes 14.6% of the CPI weight.
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels declined 0.8%, followed by clothing and footwear (-0.4%), and restaurants and hotels (-0.3%).
He said the CPI for the period of January to February decreased 0.1% from the previous corresponding period.
On a monthly basis, the CPI increased 0.3% from January due to higher transport costs (2.3%); housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (0.2%).
The average price of unleaded petrol RON 95 in February 2021 decreased to RM1.96 per litre as compared to RM2.07 in February 2020.
In addition, the average price of unleaded petrol RON 97 decreased to RM2.26 per litre as compared to RM2.37 a year ago, while the average price of diesel remained unchanged at RM2.13 as compared to February 2020.
Core index rose 0.7% in February on-year.
Among the major groups which influenced the increase were miscellaneous goods and services (1.6%), food and non-alcoholic beverages (1.1%) and health (0.7%).
The increase was also due to transport (0.5%); housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (0.4%); furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (0.3%); education (0.1%) and recreation services and culture (0.1%).
Core index excludes most volatile items of fresh food, as well as administered prices of goods and services.
Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2021/03/25/february-inflation-up-01