Overview

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

The overall index for CPI increased by 1.4 per cent in February 2018 to 121.3 compared to 119.6 in corresponding month of the preceding year. The increase in the index was due to higher prices in nine main groups, i.e Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+3.0  per cent), Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (+2.1 per cent), Health (+2.1 per cent), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+2.0 per cent), Restaurants and Hotels (+1.8 per cent), Education (+1.1 per cent), Recreation Services & Culture (+0.4 per cent), Miscellaneous Goods & Services (+0.4 per cent) and Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+0.1 per cent). (Chart 1)

On a monthly basis, CPI remained unchanged at 121.3 as compared to January 2018. CPI for the period January-February 2018 registered an increase of 2.0 per cent as compared to the same month last year.

Chart 1: Consumer Price Index (2010=100): Percentage Change by Main Groups, Malaysia, February 2018/February 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 3.0 per cent in February 2018. The increase was driven by food sub-group index which comprised of Fish & Seafood (+5.8 per cent), Fruits (+2.5 per cent), Sugar, Jam, Honey, Chocolate & Confectionery (+2.2 per cent) and Vegetables (+1.7 per cent). Slowing in pace of 1.7 per cent for the sub-group Vegetable index in February 2018 (January 2018: 7.6 per cent) was due to the index of goods which showed a drop in most states such as Round Cabbage (-11.6 per cent), Cucumber (-6.0 per cent) and Lady’s Fingers (-1.3 per cent). Meanwhile, the index for Chicken also showed a decrease by 3.0 per cent (January 2018: 1.7 per cent) in February 2018. As for Food Away From Home index, it continued to rise in February 2018, an increase of 4.3 per cent.

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

States Index

In terms of overall CPI, four states surpassed the national CPI rate of 1.4 per cent recorded in February 2018 as compared to February 2017. The index for Melaka increased by 1.8 per cent, followed by Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya (+1.7 per cent), Johor (+1.5 per cent) and Sabah & Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan (+1.5 per cent).

Meanwhile, the higher increase in the index for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages was reflected in most states in Malaysia. Six states recorded higher increases for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages index above the national index level (+3.0 per cent) for February 2018 as compared with the corresponding month in 2017. The index for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages rose 4.2 per cent in Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, 3.9 per cent in Sabah & Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan, 3.6 per cent in Johor, 3.2 per cent in Pulau Pinang, 3.1 per cent in Sarawak and 3.1 per cent in Melaka. (Chart 2)

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

Core Index

Core inflation rose 1.8 per cent in February 2018 as compared with 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 (+3.1 per cent), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+2.4 per cent), Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (+2.1 per cent), Health (+2.1 per cent) Restaurants & Hotels (+1.8 per cent), Transport (+1.4 per cent) and Recreation Services & Culture (+0.4 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: Consumer Price Index (2010=100): Percentage Change of Headline CPI and Cote Index by Main Groups,
Malaysia, February 2018/February 2017

Annex 1

Average Price for Selected Items in Malaysia, February 2018 (RM)

Released By:

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

21 March 2018

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