OCTOBER 2018

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

Year-on-Year and Month-on-Month Changes in Percent

Year-on-Year

Year-on-Year growth of the General Retail Price Index (GRPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) slows down in October 2018.

The annual increase of the General Retail Price Index (GRPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) decelerated to 4.0 percent in October 2018. Its annual rate in September 2018 was pegged at 4.3 percent and in October 2017, 2.7 percent. Slower annual increments were registered in the indices food at 4.3 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials, 2.1 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles, 1.2 percent.

Meanwhile, annual mark-ups were higher in the indices of beverages and tobacco at 12.2 percent; crude materials, inedible except fuels, 2.7 percent; mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, 22.1 percent; and machinery and transport equipment, 1.9 percent. The index of chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats retained its previous month’s annual rate at 1.1 percent (see Table 2).

 

By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month

GRPI in NCR drops in October 2018

The month-on-month change of the GRPI in NCR declined by 0.1 percent in October 2018. Its rate in the previous month was registered at 0.9 percent.

• The heavily-weighted food index fell by 0.8 percent in October 2018 due to lower prices of pork, fish and vegetables.

• Price increases in alcoholic beverages, softdrinks and cigarettes raised the beverages and tobacco index by 0.2 percent during the month.

• The index of crude materials, inedible except fuels rose by 1.5 percent. Price mark-ups were recorded in gravel and sand.

• The index of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials accelerated by 2.5 percent as prices of gasoline, diesel, LPG and kerosene generally went up during the period.

• From a zero growth posted in the previous month, manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index inched up by 0.1 percent in October 2018. Price upticks were noted in plywood, nails, paper products and textile mills.

• The index of miscellaneous manufactured articles went up by 0.1 percent in October 2018. Price hikes in selected clothing, footwear and school supplies were observed during the period.

• Prices of paints, vitamins, antacid, analgesic, other cosmetics and toilet preparations picked up during the month. Hence, the index of chemicals, including animal and vegetables oils and fats increased by 0.1 percent.

• The index for machinery and transport equipment posted zero growth in October 2018. Higher prices in conduit pipes and PVC pipes were offset by the decreases in the prices of electrical switch and selected electrical appliances.