CPI falls by 0.4% o in Dec 2006
By Azaraimy

Bandar Seri Begawan - The Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell by 0.4 per cent in December 2006 from 102.4 in the previous month, stated the Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE) yesterday.

The department also added that it was 0.7 per cent lower than that of the same month in 2005.

The CPI is a summary designed to measure changes overtime in the general level of prices of goods and services in the fixed basket of goods that a reference population pays for. It does not take into account factors such as changes in lifestyle, the increase of household incomes and the availability of new consumption goods and services. Thus, the index only reflects the price changes.

According to JPKE, the cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 0.3 per cent due to dearer prices of flour, biscuits, cereal products, fresh and frozen poultry, fresh fish, fresh prawn, milk, egg, butter, cooking oil and fruits.

Lower prices of ready-made clothing and accessories, materials and footwear led to a 7.7-per cent decrease in the cost of clothing and footwear.

Meanwhile, higher prices of certain airfares led to a 0.7-per cent increase in the cost of transportation in December, while the communication cost fell by 0.1 per cent due to lower prices of instruments including accessories.

Medical cost and healthcare rose by 0.4 per cent as a result of higher prices of proprietary medicines and supplies, while the cost of recreation and entertainment fell by 0.3 per cent, following lower prices of certain holiday packages.

Lower prices of personal care, effects and goods led to a 0.3-per cent drop in the cost of miscellaneous. Goods and services.

The cost of housing, water, electricity, maintenance and education remained unchanged. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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