THE Bureau of Statistics has indicated that the month of April, 2004 recorded a 0.1% increase in the overall price level of consumer items monitored in the Urban (Georgetown) Consumer Price Index (CPI).
As a result, the cumulative price index for the year - from December, 2003 to April 2004 - has increased by 1.3%, the Bureau said in a statement.
It noted that on an annual basis, that is when comparing the price levels from April 2003 to April 2004, the Georgetown index rose by 2.7%.
The Bureau of Statistics said the increase in prices of 0.1% in April was mainly influenced by an increase in prices of other goods and services as the housing group which increased by 0.5% of which the sub-category fuel and power (domestic gas and kerosene oil) rose by 1.2%.
In the furniture group, the price level increased by 0.1% with the sub-category of cleaning materials recording an increase of 0.4%. The transport and communication group increased by 0.7%, with increases in the sub-categories of personal transport equipment by 0.2% and operations of personal transport (gasolene) by 3.6%. The educational, recreational and cultural group also recorded an increase of 0.7%
The Bureau, however, indicated that the food group recorded a decreased of 0.4%. This decrease, it said, resulted primarily from downward price movements in the sub-category of vegetables and vegetable products by 9.4%.
Increases in the sub-categories of cereals and cereals products by 0.2%, pulses and pulse products by 0.7%, meat, fish and eggs by 0.2%, milk and milk products by 0.3%, oils and fats by 0.1%, condiments and spices by 2.6%, fruits and fruit products by 9.2%, and non-alcoholic beverages by 0.1% did not reverse the overall downward price trend in the food group, the Bureau of Statistics added. (Mark Ramotar)