Inflation in Jamaica

Jamaica’s inflation moderates but elevated

November 25, 2017 by IC Insider.com

Inflation in Jamaica remains at an elevated level with the Consumer Price Index for October 2017 registering an increase rate of 0.4 percent, down from 0.7 percent in September.
The rate of inflation for the calendar year-to-date is 4 percent and for the past twelve months is running at 4.7 percent. The fiscal year-to-date inflation is 3 percent.
According to data released by Statin, the division of Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels mainly impacted the movement as it increased by 1.7 percent. This was due chiefly to a 2.2 percent increase in the group, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels. Additionally, there was a 2.7 percent increase for the group Water,

Increased fuel prices added to inflation.

Supply and Miscellaneous Services Related to the Dwelling, due to higher water and sewage rates. Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages advanced by 0.3 percent influenced mainly by increased prices for items in the class ‘Vegetables and Starchy Foods. Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco division recorded the second highest movement, 0.7 percent for the month.
The other divisions that recorded increases in the All Jamaica Clothing and Footwear’ 0.1 percent, ‘Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance’ 0.2 percent, ‘Health’ 0.2 percent, ‘Recreation and Culture’ 0.2 percent, Restaurants and Accommodation Services’ 0.1 percent and ‘Miscellaneous Goods and Services’ 0.1 percent. There were no movement for each of the divisions ‘Communication’ and ‘Education’.

Filed Under: Economy Tagged With: Inflation in Jamaica, Statistical Institute of Jamaica

Inflation eases again in August

September 18, 2017 by IC Insider.com

The rate that consumer prices rose by, moderated further in “August with an increase in the inflation rate of 0.3 percent,” according to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), coming down from 0.6 percent in July and 0.7 percent in June.
“The rate of inflation for the calendar year-to-date was 3 percent,” Statin stated. Inflation rate over the last twelve months is up 4.4 percent and the fiscal year-to-date 2 percent.
“Prices for Recreation and Culture rose 1.3 percent in August” and was “due to mainly to increased prices for books and other school equipment,” Statin said. Higher prices for produce such as cabbage, potato and yam, pushed the index for Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages by 0.6 percent, the report stated.

Prices of food increased in August.

Other divisions that recorded increases in prices are: Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco at 0.4 percent, Clothing and Footwear at 0.2 percent, Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance at 0.1 per cent, Health at 0.2 per cent, Restaurants and Accommodation Services at 0.1 percent, Miscellaneous Goods and Services at 0.1 percent. There were no movement for the divisions Communication, Education and Transport.

Filed Under: Economy Tagged With: Inflation in August, Inflation in Jamaica, Statistical Institute of Jamaica

Inflation eases in July

August 17, 2017 by IC Insider.com

Inflation in Jamaica eased a bit in July to 0.6 percent compared to June 0.07 percent, according to data released by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (Statin).
“For the second consecutive month the division Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages recorded the highest movement of 1.2 per cent. This was primarily due to an upward movement in the class ‘Vegetable and Starchy Foods up by 3.8 per cent,” Statin stated and the Transport division rose 0.3 percent. Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels decreased by 0.3 percent a result of lower electricity rates.
Inflation for the calendar July come out at 2.7 percent, while the movement over the last twelve months runs at 4.5 percent, slightly more than the 4.4 percent at June.

Filed Under: Economy Tagged With: Inflation in Jamaica, Statin, Statistical Institute of Jamaica

Jamaica’s Inflation spikes in June

July 24, 2017 by IC Insider.com

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‘Vegetables and Starchy Foods’ had a strong impact on price movement in June.

The Consumer Price Index for June 2017 increased by 0.7 percent, represented the highest monthly movement for the 2017 to date, a release from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (Statin) stated.
The rate of inflation for the calendar year-to-date is 2.1 percent, 4.4 percent over June last year, while the fiscal year-to-date rate is 1.1 percent.
According to Statin, the sharp increase in June was due mainly to increases in the index for the three heaviest weighted divisions: Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages up by 1.1 per cent, Transport 0.4 percent and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels up by 0.4 percent. The Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages division was impacted by the flood rains in mid-May, which disrupted the supplies of agricultural products and resulted in a 3. 7 percent rise in Vegetables and Starchy Foods. The increase in the Transport division was influenced by higher prices for petrol. Increased electricity rates was chiefly responsible for the upward movement in the division Housing, Water, Electricity Gas and Other Fuels, as the class Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels rose by 1.1 per cent. However, the overall movement of the division was tempered by the 1.3 percent decline in the class Water Supply and Miscellaneous Services Related to the Dwelling. Other notable increases were recorded for Restaurants and Accommodation Services, 0.6 percent and Recreation and Culture, 0.4 percent.

Filed Under: Economy Tagged With: Inflation in Jamaica, Statin, Statistical Institute of Jamaica

Inflation rate drops in May

June 16, 2017 by IC Insider.com

Inflation in Jamaica after rising 0.4 percent in January and March and 0.3 percent in April has now fallen to just 0.1 percent for May this year, half of the 0.2 percent rise in February.
The increase for May brings the year to date 1.4 percent and the fiscal year-to-date to 0.4 percent. The inflation rate over the last twelve months rose to 4.6 percent. With the price of oil on the world market slipping recently, a low level of inflation can be expected for some time to come and could result in the year over year rate declining form the above level.
According to Statistical Institute of Jamaica the inflation for May is due to an increase of 0.1 percent in the index for the heaviest weighted division, Food, Non-Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco. Within this division the group Food rose by 0.1 percent while other notable increases were recorded in the following divisions: Transport 0.2 percent, Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco 1.6 percent and Restaurants and Accommodation Services 0.3 percent. The upward movement in the index was tempered by a 0.2 percent fall in the division Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels due to lower rates for electricity, water and sewage.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Economy, Feature Stories Tagged With: Inflation in Jamaica, May inflation in Jamaica, Statistical Institute of Jamaica

Moderate inflation for Jamaica

March 16, 2017 by IC Insider.com

Price increases in Jamaica for February this year was moderately up resulting in inflation over the past year to less than 4 percent. The Consumer Price Index for the month of February 2017 increased by 0.2 percent, following an upward movement of 0.4 percent in the previous month.
Price increases from a year ago is up 3.6 percent and for the fiscal year-to-date, 3.7 percent.
Two divisions mainly contributed to this increase. Prices for the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages division rose the most by 0.3 percent and the division of Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels was up by 0.6 percent. Higher rates for water and sewage and increases in wages for carpenters, masons, painter, plumbers and electricians were the main factors that impacted the movement for the division Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels. Lower prices for some petroleum products locally resulted in a decline in its index of 0.3 percent in Transportation.
Fall in the price of oil on the world market could impact ongoing inflation if the trend continues but recent tax increases locally with negate some of that.

Filed Under: Economy, Feature Stories Tagged With: Consumer Price Index, Inflation, Inflation in Jamaica

Jamaica’s 2017 inflation to beat 2016 – 1.7%?

January 18, 2017 by IC Insider.com

Fuel prices at the pumps in May 2015.

Inflation in Jamaica for 2016, fell to the lowest level in decades, with the Consumer Price Index showing inflation rate at just 1.72 percent for the year. The findings were released by Statistical Institute of Jamaica.
The inflation rate for 2017 could be even lower than that of 2016, if the historical patterns repeat. The 2016 out turn compares with 3.7 percent recorded for 2015. The rate for December 2016 was 0.3 percent and is just below the average of fiscal year-to-date movement of 3.1 percent to December 2016.
The rate for 2016 would have been even less, had it not been for increased taxes imposed by the government on a series of items in the first half of the year. The added increase from taxes should not recur in 2017 as revenues are running well ahead of target for the 2017 fiscal year and a pickup in growth should see a healthy increase in revenues for the new fiscal year.
In 2016, inflation in Jamaica, benefited from a continuation in tight fiscal policies, pursued by the government, but it would have been negatively affected by slippage in the exchange rate of the Jamaican dollar versus the US dollar. Moderation in energy prices helped as well.
Going forward, the country should continue to benefit from relatively low energy prices a more stable exchange rate of the Jamaican dollar as foreign exchange inflows remain strong.
Data going back to 2002 suggests that the first two months of the year tend to have flat to negative inflation. In 2015 inflation remained below the December 2014 level until April and just inching ahead in May. In 2016 it remained below the December 2015 level until July.

Filed Under: Economy, Feature Stories Tagged With: Inflation for 2016, Inflation in Jamaica, Jamaica's 2016 inflation, Statin, Statistical Institute of Jamaica

Jamaica’s 2016 inflation lowest in decades

December 19, 2016 by IC Insider.com

‘Vegetables and Starchy Foods’ had a strong impact on November price movement.

Inflation in Jamaica is set to be the lowest in decades as prices rose 0.4 percent in November over the previous month, bringing the inflation for the calendar year-to-date rate to only 1.4 per cent, the lowest for many decades.
Price movements as measured by the consumer index amounts to just 1.7 percent compared to the November 2015. Inflation for the fiscal year-to-date registered an increase of 2.8 percent.
The price movement in November this year, is mainly as a result of a 0.5 percent rise in Food and Non Alcoholic Beverages and a 0.7 per cent increase in Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ division. Higher prices for vegetables and starchy foods and a rise in the cost of electricity were items that were most impactful.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Economy, Feature Stories Tagged With: Consumer Price Index, Inflation for November 2016, Inflation in Jamaica

Inflation set to fall below 2% for 2016

September 16, 2016 by IC Insider.com

Fuel prices at the pumps in May 2015.

The inflation rate to August based on the consumer price index rose by 0.4 percent over July 2016, bringing the year to date inflation to 0.3 percent. With just 4 more months to go for the completion of the year and with the price of oil on the world market declining, Jamaica seems set to enjoy one of the lowest inflation for 2016, in decades.
The calendar year-to-date inflation is only 0.3 percent, while the year over year movement is 1.8 percent. IC Insider is forecasting the full year inflation to end just below 1.5 percent, barring major negative developments. If the forecast is closely achieved, it would be the lowest rate in four and a half decades and will better the 3.66 percent achieved in 2015, the previous lowest rate over the same period. The rate for 2016 would be well below the 4.2 percent forecast by the IMF for the calendar year and the Bank of Jamaica the fiscal year forecast to March 2017 with a target of 4.5 percent to 6.5 percent.

According to Statin, inflation for August was driven mainly by the division ‘Housing, Water, Electricity Gas and Other Fuels’ which recorded the highest movement, 1.8 percent, primarily due to the increase in rates for electricity and water. The group ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ division increased by 0.4 percent and was influenced by the upward movement in the group ‘Vegetables and Starchy Foods’ up by 0.9 percent. The increases were partially offset by a fall in ‘Transport’ by 0.2 percent, due to lower petrol prices on the local market for the month of August.
The low level of inflation comes against the back ground of a 5 percent devaluation of the Jamaican dollar versus the US dollar and a tax package earlier in the year that saw an increase in the price of petroleum as well as a fiscal deficit that is close to zero and well below forecast.

Filed Under: Economy, Feature Stories Tagged With: BOJ, Inflation, Inflation in Jamaica, Jamaica's inflation, Statin, Statistical Institute of Jamaica

Price increases slowed in July

August 22, 2016 by IC Insider.com

With more than half of the calendar year gone, overall price movements in Jamaica remained slightly negative at minus 0.1 percent, but inflation for the last twelve months amounts to 2.1 percent, while inflation since April is up 1.2 percent.
The rise in the Inflation Rate since April 2016, emanated mainly from 0.5 percent rise in prices in July 2016, according to the latest figures released by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica and a 0.9 percent movement in June.
July’s prices were mainly impacted by Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels rising 4.6 percent and Water Supply and Miscellaneous Services Related to the dwelling climbing 2.8 percent.

Increased fuel prices added to inflation.

Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages increased by a mere 0.3 percent due mainly to increased prices for vegetables and starchy foods. Price movements elsewhere for July were mild.
The decline in the price of oil on the world market in recent weeks should have a moderating effect on prices overall in August and September. Regardless, if inflation were to remain at the 0.5 percent per month as occurred in July the country is likely to enjoy one of the lowest year of inflation for some time and Jamaica seems set to report an inflation rate that is below 2 percent for 2016.