The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.5 percent to 109.9 in March 2014 against 106.2 recorded in the same month last year, the Statistics Department said today.

Cumulatively, the CPI was up 3.4 percent in the first three months of the year to 109.7 compared with 106.1 registered in the same period a year ago, it said in a statement.

It said the 3.5 percent rise in the CPI was brought about by the increased indices of all the main groups except those of communication and miscellaneous goods and services, which decreased by 0.5 percent, respectively.   

Notable increases were also noted in the main groups with high weights attached to transport (5.3 percent); food and non-alcoholic beverages (4.0 percent ) and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (3.5 percent), the department said.

Alcoholic beverages and tobacco also showed increases (14.1 percent); restaurants and hotels (4.3 percent); education (2.4 percent); health (2.2 percent); recreation services and culture (1.6 percent) and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (1.4 percent).

The index for clothings and footwear remained unchanged at 98.8.   

The department said the 4.0 percent increase in the index for food and non-alcoholic beverages was the result of the increase for food at home (4.3 percent); food away from home (3.8 percent) coffee, tea, cocoa and non-alcoholic beverages (1.3 percent).

“Three main groups - food and non-alcoholic beverages; housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels; and transport - together accounted for 82.7 percent of the overall increase recorded for the current period,” the department added.

- Bernama