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Some highlights for July and August were:
• Rents declined in July by 0.8 percent and a further 1.7 percent in August with the largest decrease seen in apartment rents which were down 17 percent since January 2009. • Clothing and footwear prices declined 0.2 percent in July and again in August with ready-made clothing up 0.1 percent in July and down 1.9 percent in August. The index for clothing and footwear prices was now 8.4 percent lower than January 2009 with significant decreases seen in prices of women’s clothing and fabrics. Offsetting the decreases, the price of children’s shoes rose 13.7 percent in August
• Economy class airfares reversed the June increase with a 10.5 percent decrease in July and a further 7.8 percent decrease in August. • The general price level for dining at restaurants, coffee shops and hotel accommodation rose 1.2 percent in July and remained unchanged in August.
Quarterly Consumer Price Index (QCPI)
The CPI for the second quarter of 2009 stood at 125.58 (2006=100), this was 1.0 percent lower than the previous quarter. The annual change was minus 2.9 percent (-2.9%) when comparing with the second quarter of 2008.
Food Price Index (FPI)
This new section on food prices presents the provisional July food price index (FPI) component of the CPI. The FPI will be subject to revision from time to time as methodologies are enhanced.
The monthly FPI rose 0.8 percent in July after having recorded four monthly decreases between February and June (and one month of no change). The FPI then rose a further 1.6 percent in August leaving the FPI at 0.6 percent lower than in January 2009.
The items that have a bigger share of consumer spending have the most effect on the overall FPI. Some of the highlights were:
• Fresh vegetables were 3.2 percent more expensive in July than in June and then the index increased a further 11.1 percent in August.
• Fish prices rose 7.0 percent in July (after a 4.8 percent decrease in June) and then rose another 3.3. percent in August,
• Egg prices recorded a 13.5 percent decrease in July pushed down by a 21 percent decrease in prices for locally produced eggs. In August egg prices rose 1.1 percent leaving eggs at a general price level 12.9 percent lower than in January.
August food price risers
|
Food Class |
% of food basket (2006) |
Jul/Jun |
Aug/Jul |
Aug/ Jan |
| Mutton |
12.4% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
1.6% |
| Fresh Fruits |
9.3% |
-1.4% |
0.3% |
2.3% |
| Fresh Vegetables |
8.0% |
3.2% |
11.1% |
9.5% |
| Fish |
7.0% |
7.0% |
3.3% |
13.0% |
| Chicken |
6.8% |
-0.8% |
6.8% |
-4.4% |
| Chocolates, Ice Cream &
Confectioneries |
4.0% |
2.5% |
1.9% |
3.0% |
| Preserved Fruits, Fruit
Juices & Child Food |
3.8% |
-0.9% |
0.2% |
-2.5% |
| Unsubsidized Rice |
3.6% |
0.2% |
0.6% |
-12.5% |
| Dried Fruits & Nuts |
2.8% |
-1.2% |
1.0% |
-8.9% |
| Other Milk Products |
2.3% |
3.2% |
0.2% |
0.7% |
| Condensed Milk & Powder Milk |
2.3% |
0.2% |
0.4% |
-12.5% |
| Cheese |
1.9% |
0.2% |
3.1% |
1.3% |
| Jam & Honey |
1.6% |
-0.6% |
3.3% |
1.0% |
| Sea Food |
1.5% |
5.7% |
3.8% |
0.6% |
| Eggs |
1.4% |
-13.5% |
1.1% |
-12.9% |
| Tea |
1.4% |
0.8% |
0.7% |
2.0% |
|
Fresh Potato |
1.2% |
13.3% |
3.9% |
6.0% |
| Veal |
0.5% |
3.6% |
4.4% |
-8.4% |
August food price fallers
|
Food Class |
% of food basket (2006) |
Jul/Jun |
Aug/Jul |
Aug/ Jan |
| Margarine , Other Oils
& Fats |
3.3%
|
2.5% |
-4.0% |
-9.6% |
| Beef |
3.0% |
-0.3% |
-1.6% |
0.2% |
| Bread |
2.8% |
0.1% |
-0.1% |
2.1% |
| Fresh Milk |
2.6% |
0.8% |
-0.8% |
1.5% |
| Preserved & Frozen Vegetable , legumes & Soups |
2.4% |
3.4% |
-1.6% |
-5.0% |
| Other Bakery Products |
2.2% |
2.8% |
-2.5% |
0.1% |
| Coffee |
1.8% |
-0.6% |
-5.0% |
-7.8% |
| Potato Products |
1.0% |
2.0% |
-1.8% |
-18.3% |
| Pastry Products |
0.8% |
-0.2% |
-1.3% |
0.4% |
| Canned Fish & Sea Food |
0.4% |
2.5% |
-4.7% |
-6.1% |
| Butter |
0.3% |
-1.4% |
-2.1% |
-7.3% |
Quarterly Consumer Price Index (QCPI)
The FPI for the second quarter of 2009 stood at 130.34 (2006=100), this was 1.3 percent lower than the previous quarter. The FPI peaked in the fourth quarter of 2008 and has been decreasing since. The biggest quarterly movement occurred in the first quarter of 2008.
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