Inflation rate rises to 13.71 percent, NBS says

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) disclosed in its “CPI and Inflation Report September 2020,” that the consumer price index (CPI) which measures inflation increased by 13.71 percent (year-on-year) in September 2020.

It said the CPI is 0.49 percent points higher than the rate recorded in August 2020 (13.22) percent.

The report showed that increases were recorded in all classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) divisions that yielded the Headline index.

The report added: “On a month-on-month basis, the Headline index increased by 1.48 percent in September 2020. This is 0.14 percent rate higher than the rate recorded in August 2020 (1.34) percent.”

NBS said the percentage change in the average composite CPI for the twelve months period ending September 2020 over the average of the CPI for the previous twelve months period was 12.44 percent, showing 0.21 percent point from 12.23 percent recorded in August 2020.

According to the report: “On a month-on-month basis, said the report, the urban index rose by 1.56 percent in September 2020, up by 0.14 from 1.42 percent recorded in August 2020, while the rural index also rose by 1.40 percent in September 2020, up by 0.13 from the rate recorded in August 2020 (1.27 percent).

“The urban inflation rate increased by 14.31 percent (year-on-year) in September 2020 from 13.83 percent recorded in August 2020, while the rural inflation rate increased by 13.14 percent in September 2020 from 12.65 percent in August 2020.

“The corresponding twelve-month year-on-year average percentage change for the urban index is 13.07 percent in September 2020. This is higher than 12.85 percent reported in August 2020, while the corresponding rural inflation rate in September 2020 is 11.86 percent compared to 11.66 percent recorded in August 2020.

Increases were recorded in all COICOP divisions that yielded the Headline index.

“The consumer price index, (CPI) which measures inflation increased by 13.71 percent (year-on-year) in September 2020. This is 0.49 percent points higher than the rate recorded in August 2020 (13.22) percent.”