Overview

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

CPI increased 0.6 per cent in October 2018 to 120.7 compared to 120.0 in corresponding month of the preceding year. The increase in the overall index was due to higher price for Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+2.1 per cent), Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+1.2 per cent), Restaurants & Hotels (+1.2 per cent), Education (+1.1 per cent) and Transport (+0.8 per cent). (Chart 1). 

On a monthly basis, CPI increased 0.2 per cent as compared to September 2018. CPI for the period January-October 2018 registered an increase of 1.1 per cent as compared to the same period last year.

Chart 1: Consumer Price Index (2010=100): Percentage Change by Main Groups, Malaysia, October 2018/October 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 1.2 per cent in October 2018. This was attributed by the food sub-group index of  Vegetables (+3.0 per cent) and Fish & Seafood (+0.8 per cent). Meanwhile, the index for sub-group Sugar, Jam, Honey, Chocolate & Confectionery decreased 2.3 per cent, followed by index for sub-groups and Oils & Fats (-0.8 per cent) and Fruits (-0.4 per cent). The decrease was due to the index of goods which dropped in most states such as Chicken (-5.2 per cent), White Sugar (-3.1 per cent), Sweetened Creamer Milk (-3.1 per cent), Fresh Coconut Milk (-1.5 per cent), Grapes (-1.1 per cent) and Dried Chilly (-0.8 per cent).

Meanwhile, the index for Food Away From Home increased 2.7 per cent in October 2018 as against October 2017

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

States Index

In terms of overall CPI, four states surpassed the national CPI rate of 0.6 per cent recorded in October 2018 as compared to October 2017. The states were Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (+1.3 per cent), Negeri Sembilan (+1.1 per cent), Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya (+0.8 per cent) and Pulau Pinang (+0.7 per cent). Johor  showed the same rate as the national CPI.

The 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 (+1.2 per cent) in October 2018 as compared to the corresponding month in 2017. The index for Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages rose 4.5 per cent in Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, followed by Negeri Sembilan (+1.6 per cent), Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya (+1.4 per cent) while Pulau Pinang showed the same rate as the national CPI of this main group. (Chart 2)

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

Core Index

Core index increased 0.4 per cent in October 2018, as compared to the same month of the previous year. Among the major groups which influenced the higher core rate were price increases for Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+2.3 per cent), Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+1.3 per cent), Restaurants & Hotels (+1.2 per cent) and Education (+1.1 per cent). Core index, which excludes most volatile items of fresh food, as well as administered prices of goods and services recorded changes ranging from -0.2 per cent to 2.2 per cent for the period January to October 2018 as compared with the same period of the previous year. (Table 2)

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

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

Released By:

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

23 November 2018

Contact person:

Ho Mei Kei
Public Relation Officer
Strategic Communication and International Division
Department of Statistics, Malaysia
Tel : +603-8885 7942
Fax : +603-8888 9248
Email : mkho[at]dosm.gov.my

For interviews, press statement and clarification to the media, contact:

Baharudin Mohamad

Public Relation Officer

Email: baharudin[at]dosm.gov.my

Phone: 03 8885 7942

Not found what you looking for? Request data from us, through

Go to eStatistik

email to data[at]dosm.gov.my

call 03 8885 7128 (data request)