1. CPI of Food, Beverages and Tobacco (FBT): National Capital Region (NCR) and Areas Outside the National Capital Region (AONCR)
   

   The seasonally adjusted CPI of FBT items in NCR went down to 150.5 in September from 151.0 in August. However, the seasonally adjusted CPI of FBT in AONCR increased to 157.5 in September from last month's 157.1.

   Seasonal factors such as the constant heavy downpour during the earlier part of September did not push up prices of FBT items in NCR. However, for AONCR, these seasonal factors pushed up prices of FBT items relative to the expected trend.

   Prices of seasonally adjusted CPI for FBT items in NCR further declined to -0.3 percent in September from - 0.1 percent in August. Meanwhile, for AONCR, prices of seasonally adjusted CPI for FBT items moved up but at a slower rate of 0.3 percent from 0.7 percent.

2. CPI of Non-FBT items: National Capital Region (NCR) and Areas Outside the National Capital Region (AONCR)

The seasonally adjusted CPI of non-FBT items in NCR and AONCR correspondingly picked up to 184.9 and 181.6 in September from their respective August levels of 184.2 and 181.0. During the lean month of September, seasonal factors such as the low demand of goods and services pushed down prices of non-FBT items in NCR and AONCR.

The month-on-month inflation of the seasonally adjusted CPI for non- FBT items in NCR slowed down to 0.4 percent in September from 0.8 percent in August, while that for AONCR, prices of non-FBT items went by 0.3 percent from 0.2 percent.

Page Last Updated: October 10, 2002