FEBRUARY 2015
Year-on-Year and Month-on-Month Growth Rates
of General Retail Price Index
| All Items | February 2015 | January 2015 | February 2014 | Year-to-date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year-on-Year | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.0 |
| Month-on-Month | 0.2 | -0.2 | -0.1 |
Year-on-Year
The annual growth in the General Retail Price Index (GRPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) went up to 2.2 percent in February 2015. Last month, it was posted at 1.8 percent and in February 2014, 1.9 percent. The heavily-weighted food index recorded a higher annual gain of 6.2 percent in February; beverages and tobacco index, 4.4 percent; chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats index, 2.1 percent; and manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index, 2.7 percent. Slower annual upticks were however, seen correspondingly in the indices of crude materials, inedible except fuels and miscellaneous manufactured articles at 4.3 percent and 1.5 percent. Annual declines were registered in mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials at -21.1 percent and in machinery and transport equipment index, -0.4 percent.
By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month
On a monthly basis, the GRPI in NCR inched up 0.2 percent in February 2015 from its January level.
The 1.8 percent mark-up in beverages and tobacco index was due to price increments in beer, gin, whisky and selected softdrinks.
Price hikes in gasoline, LPG, diesel fuel and kerosene pulled up the index of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials by 0.7 percent.
Price add-ons in selected paint products and laundry soap effected a 0.2 percent growth in chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats index.
The monthly change in the miscellaneous manufactured articles index moved up by 0.4 percent as prices of selected ready-made clothing, undergarments, footwear items and jewelries were on the uptrend.
The heavily-weighted food index went down by 0.1 percent as prices of chicken, eggs, rice, fruits and vegetables were pegged lower during the month.
Downward price adjustments were seen in gravel and sand. This resulted to the 1.3 percent decline in the index for crude materials inedible except fuels.
The 0.4 percent drop in machinery and transport equipment index was brought about by the price reductions in electrical wiring devices and in recorded music CD.
The index of manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials rose 0.1 percent. This was due to the price upticks in cement and wire nails.
