Consumer Price Index (CPI) reached 144.17 percent in late August which is up 8.18 percent when compared to the same period last year

Consumer Price Index (CPI) in late August reached 144.17 per cent, up 8.18 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to the report on the CPI and inflation rate issued by the Central Statistical Organization (CSO) at the Ministry of Planning and Finance.

According to the calculation using 2012 as the base year, the CPI for the food group hit 156.88 per cent and the non-food group, 126.27 per cent.

According to the calculation using 2012 as a base year, the CPI hit 132.42 per cent in May, 2017, 139.51 per cent in late February, 139.11 per cent in late March, 139.82 per cent in late April and 141.13 per cent in late June.

In late August, Kayin State saw the biggest change in the CPI with 6.05 per cent. Kayin State faced natural disasters seriously. Commodity prices have gone up due to a decline in the trade flow and high transportation costs, according to the CSO.

In November, 2012, the Central Statistical Organization conducted a household and consumption survey on 32,669 households in 82 townships nationwide to calculate the CPI and inflation rate. The CSO took samples from 438 goods and services. The calculation of CPI covers 274 items—108 in the food group and 166 in the non-food group.

The average inflation rate in late August stood at 5.50 per cent, a slight increase compared with 5.02 per cent.

(Eleven Media Group: http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/business/15187 )

​