Overview

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

The CPI increased by 1.4 per cent in April 2018 to 120.9 compared to 119.2 in corresponding month of the preceding year. Among the major groups which recorded increases were the indices for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+2.6 per cent), Restaurants & Hotels (+2.2 per cent), Health (+2.1 per cent), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+2.0 per cent), Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (+1.8 per cent) and Education (+1.1 per cent). (Chart 1)

On a monthly basis, CPI remained unchange at 120.9 as compared to March 2018. CPI for the period January-April 2018 registered an increase of 1.7 per cent as compared to the same period last year.

Chart 1: Consumer Price Index (2010=100): Percentage Change by Main Groups, Malaysia, April 2018/April 2017

Index for Sub-Groups Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages

The overall index for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages which accounted 29.5 per cent in the CPI weights, increased 2.6 per cent in April 2018. The increase was driven by food sub-group index which comprised of Fish & Seafood (+4.1 per cent), Fruits (+1.9 per cent), Rice, Bread & Other Cereals (+1.7 per cent), Milk & Eggs (+1.1 per cent) and Meat (+1.1 per cent). On the other hand, the sub-group Vegetables decreased 0.5 per cent in April 2018.  The decrease was due to the index of goods which dropped in most states such as Tomatoes (-17.1 per cent), Brinjals (-7.4 per cent), Round Cabbage (-2.2 per cent) and Spinach (-2.1 per cent). Meanwhile, the index for Food Away From Home increased 3.7 per cent in April 2018.

Table 1: Consumer Price Index (2010=100): Annual Percentage Change by Sub-Groups Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Malaysia, April 2018/April 2017

States Index

In terms of overall CPI, three states surpassed the national CPI rate of 1.4 per cent recorded in April 2018 as compared to April 2017. The states were Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (+1.9 per cent), Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya (+1.6 per cent) and Pulau Pinang (+1.5 per cent).

Meanwhile, the higher increase in the index for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages was reflected in most states in Malaysia. Three states recorded higher increases for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages index above the national index level (+2.6 per cent) in April 2018 as compared to the corresponding month in 2017. The index for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages rose 4.4 per cent in Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, 3.0 per cent in Pulau Pinang and 2.9 per cent in Sabah & Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan. (Chart 2)

Chart 2: Consumer Price Index (2010=100): Annual Percentage Change for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages by State, April 2018/April 2017

Core Index

Core inflation rose 1.5 per cent in April 2018 as compared to the same month of the previous year. Among the major groups which influenced the higher core rate were price increases of Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+2.8 per cent), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+2.4 per cent), Restaurants & Hotels (+2.2 per cent), Health (+2.1 per cent) and Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (+1.8 per cent). Core inflation differs from overall CPI (headline CPI) where the former is calculated by excluding prices for goods and services that are subject to fluctuations; which considered transitory in nature; and do not have a lasting impact on the underlying trend in inflation. These include nine of the CPI's most volatile items of fresh food as well as administered prices of goods and services. (Table 2)

Table 2: Consumer Price Index (2010=100): Percentage Change of Headline CPI, Seasonally Adjusted Index and Core Index by Main Groups, Malaysia, April 2018/ April 2017

Annex 1: Average Price for Selected Items in Malaysia, April 2018 (RM) 

Released By:

DATO' SRI DR. MOHD UZIR MAHIDIN
CHIEF STATISTICIAN MALAYSIA
DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS, MALAYSIA
 DrUzir_Mahidin      Dr_Uzir

23 May 2018

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