December 2009

• Month-on-Month

  The month-on-month growth rate of the General Retail Price Index (GRPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) went up to 0.2 percent in December from -0.1 percent in November. This was attributed mainly to higher price increments in the indexes of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials and miscellaneous construction materials at 5.0 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively from their corresponding previous monthÒ³ rates of 1.0 percent and -0.1 percent. Price gain in chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats index remained at 0.1 percent while the price increase in beverages and tobacco index eased to 0.1 percent from 0.2 percent. Prices of crude materials, inedible except fuels, manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials and machinery and transport equipment generally remained stable as their indexes recorded zero growth.

  Prices hikes were observed in gasoline, LPG, kerosene and steel bars during the month.
  

• Year-on-Year

  The annual growth rate of the GRPI in NCR picked-up to 3.2 percent in December from 2.8 percent in November. Higher annual price adjustment was noticed in beverages and tobacco index at 3.7 percent in December from 3.6 percent in November; mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, 9.3 percent from -6.3 percent; machinery and transport equipment, 0.3 percent from 0.1 percent; and miscellaneous construction materials, 4.5 percent from 4.4 percent. On the other hand, annual price uptick in food and crude materials, inedible except fuels indixes were correspondingly slower at 5.2 percent and 3.1 percent from their respective previous monthÒ³ rates of 7.1 percent and 3.2 percent. Negative annual rate was still posted in the index of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials while the same rate of 2.5 percent was noted in chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats index.

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  Source: National Statistics Office
  Manila, Philippines

  Page last revised: February 23, 2010