THE ALL Jamaica 'All Group' Consumer Price index for November 2003 was 1773.0 showing an increase of 0.9 per cent over the index recorded for October 2003, the November Consumer Price Index Bulletin, published by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica, states.
The rate of inflation was 1.6 per cent for the months September and October. For the calendar year to date, the rate of inflation was 13.2 per cent, or 6.5 percentage points above the 6.7 per cent for the corresponding period in 2002.
Additionally, the rate of inflation for the fiscal year to date was 13.7 per cent.
A look at the regional indices shows increases for three regions Kingston Metropolitan Area, 1.0 per cent; other towns, 0.8 per cent and rural areas, 0.9 per cent.
For November, all groups recorded higher indices than in October. There was a 1.2 per cent increase in the index for the group, 'Food and Drink'.
The movement in the index for this group largely resulted from increased prices for items in the sub-groups, 'Baked Products, Cereals and Breakfast Drink', 1.4 per cent; 'Starchy foods', 1.6 per cent; 'Vegetables and Fruit', 3.2 per cent, and 'Other Food and Beverages', 1.8 per cent.
The index for the group 'Fuels and Other Household Supplies' recorded an increase of 0.9 per cent. This, the bulletin states, was largely due to a 1.7 per cent increase in the index for the sub-group 'Household Supplies' over the period.
There was a 1.1 per cent increase in the index for the group 'Housing and Other Housing Expenses', the result of a 1.5 per cent increase in the sub-group 'Other Housing Expenses'.
