APRIL 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)

Year-on-Year

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

The annual increase of GRPI in NCR went up by 1.6 percent in April 2019. In the previous month, the annual rate was recorded at 1.3 percent and in April 2018, 4.0 percent. Higher annual gains during the month were observed in the indices of food at 1.7 percent; and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, 5.1 percent. On the other hand, slower annual mark-ups were registered in the indices of the following commodity groups:

• Beverages and Tobacco (3.1%);

• Crude Materials, Inedible Except Fuels (4.0%);

• Manufactured Goods Classified Chiefly by Materials (1.5%); and

• Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles (0.9%).

The indices of chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats; and machinery and transport equipment retained their previous month’s annual rate of 1.0 percent (see Table 2).

 

 

Month-on-Month

GRPI in NCR moves upward in April 2019

On a monthly basis, the GRPI in NCR rose by 0.2 percent in April 2019. In the previous month, its growth was 0.1 percent.

• The food index picked up by 0.3 percent in April 2019. This was brought about by higher prices of beef, fish, fruits, vegetables, coffee, milk, and salt.

• The index of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials moved up by 0.8 percent in April 2019. This was, however, slower from 3.1 percent growth in the previous month. Price hikes in gasoline, diesel and kerosene were lower during the month.

• Prices of paints, medicines, cosmetics, and some cleaning items went up during the month. Thus, the index of chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats inched up by 0.1 percent.

• The increment recorded in the index of manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials slowed down to 0.1 percent in April 2019. Price upticks in lumber, cement and steel bars were tempered by the price decreases in G.I. pipes and corrugated G.I. sheets.

• Higher prices of electrical lamps and selected electrical appliances effected the 0.1 percent increase in the index of machinery and transport equipment.

• The index of beverages and tobacco picked up by 0.1 percent due to price hikes in softdrinks.

• Price declines in selected furnitures and footwear items offsetted the price increases in ready-made clothing items. Hence, a zero growth in the index of miscellaneous manufactured articles was noted during the month.

• The index of crude materials, inedible except fuels dropped by 0.3 percent in April 2019. This was brought about by lower prices in gravel and sand this month.