KUALA LUMPUR (May 20): Malaysia’s April consumer price index (CPI) rose by 2.1% year-on-year (y-o-y), moderated from a y-o-y grow of 2.6% in March.

In a statement today, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) reported that among the major groups which recorded increases were the index for alcoholic beverages & tobacco by 20.1%; Food & non-alcoholic beverages rose by 4.2%; and restaurants & hotels by 2.7%.

Housing, water, Electricity, gas & other fuels increased 2.6% y-o-y, while miscellaneous goods & services were up by 2.6%. Meanwhile, the furnishing, household equipment & routine household maintenance group was higher by 2.6% as well.

In addition, DOSM revealed that the overall index was also influenced by decrease in prices of the transport group by 5.5%; as well as communication group which fell by 2.1%, and a clothing & footwear which experienced a 0.7% drop.

“On a monthly basis, CPI for April 2016 increased 0.4% to 114.3, from 113.8 (in March 2016). CPI for the period January to April in 2016 registered an increase of 3.2%, as compared to the same period last year,” the statement read.

Core inflation — which excludes most volatile items of fresh food, as well as administered prices of goods and services — rose by 2.3% y-o-y in April 2016.

Among factors contributing to a higher core inflation rate were price increases for transport; food & non-alcoholic beverages; housing, water, electricity, gas & other fuels; restaurants & hotels; miscellaneous goods & services; as well as furnishing, household equipment & routine household maintenance.