JULY 2019

GENERAL RETAIL PRICE INDEX IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION
(2000=100)

Year-on-Year and Month-on-Month Changes of GRPI, In Percent
(2000=100)

_{0.0 - Either no change or percent change is less than 0.05.}

Year-on-Year

Annual rate of General Retail Price Index (GRPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) picks up in July 2019

The annual change of GRPI in NCR went up by 0.6 percent in July 2019. In the previous month, the annual rate was recorded at 0.4 percent and in July 2018, 4.2 percent. Higher annual gains during the month were registered in the indices of food at 0.7 percent; and chemicals including animal and vegetables oils and fats, 0.9 percent. On the other hand, slower annual mark-ups were posted in the indices of the following commodity groups:

• Beverages and tobacco, 3.0%;
• Crude materials, inedible except fuels, 3.8%;
• Manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials, 0.7%; and
• Machinery and transport equipment, 0.5%.

The index of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials was still on a downtrend as its annual rate was recorded at -3.5 percent while the index of miscellaneous manufactured articles retained its previous month’s annual rate of 0.5 percent during the month (see Table 2).

Month-on-Month

GRPI in NCR moves up in July 2019

On a monthly basis, the GRPI in NCR increased by 0.2 percent in July 2019. Its rate in the previous month was posted at -0.8 percent.

• The food index picked up by 0.4 percent in July 2019. This was brought about by higher prices of chicken, pork, beef, egg, milk, cheese, butter, fish and fruits.

• Increases in the prices of liquors, wines and softdrinks resulted to a 0.1 percent monthly growth in beverages and tobacco index.

• Prices of gravel and sand went up during the period. Thus, the index of crude materials, inedible except fuels rose by 0.2 percent in July 2019.

• The index of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials climbed by 0.7 percent in July 2019. Price hikes during the month were noted in gasoline, diesel, engine oil and kerosene.

• Upticks in the prices of some medicines, cosmetics, toilet preparations, and insecticides raised the index of chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats by 0.4 percent during the month.

• The index of manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials inched up by 0.1 percent in July 2019. Price hikes in selected school supplies, cement and steel bars were observed this month.

• The machinery and transport equipment index recorded a 0.1 percent gain in July 2019. Electrical lamps, electrical switch, PVC pipes, and selected electrical appliances were priced higher during the month.

• Prices of some ready-made garments, textbooks, school and office supplies were higher during the period. Hence, the index of miscellaneous manufactured articles rose by 0.1 percent in July 2019.