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Consumer price index down by 2.6 per cent

Posted on December 16th, 2009

In November, the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices went down to 108.57 from 111.46 in October 2009 or 2.6 per cent over the previous month, the NSO revealed on Wednesday.

This primarily reflected a decrease of 11.8 per cent in the Restaurants and Hotels Index, mainly due to seasonal price decreases in accommodation services. The Recreation and Culture Index went down by 4.4 per cent, mainly due to lower prices of package tours.

Lower air fares caused the Transport Index to go down by 1.7 per cent. The Food and Non-alcoholic beverages Index decreased by 0.3 per cent, mainly on account of a drop in the price of fish.

The Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Index went up by 3.5 per cent as a consequence of higher tobacco prices. Seasonal price increases in garments caused the Clothing and Footwear Index to go up by 3.5 per cent.

The Miscellaneous Goods and Services Index recorded an increase of 0.5 per cent due to price increases in some jewellery items and in certain financial services. An upward movement in the prices of various furniture and furnishing items as well as non-durable household goods, caused the Furniture, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House Index to go up by 0.2 per cent.

The Health Index registered an increase of 0.1 per cent, mainly on account of higher prices for medical and paramedical services. In November, the twelve-month moving average rate of inflation stood at 2.3 per cent, whereas the annual rate of inflation stood at -0.1 per cent.