Inflation slows down to lowest since January 2018

May 7, 2019

Inflation slowed down to 3 percent in April 2019, the lowest since January 2018, the Philippine Statistics Authority ( PSA) said Tuesday.

Inflation in March was recorded at 3.3 percent and in April 2018, 4.5 percent, PSA added.

''The slowdown was mainly brought about by the slower annual increase in the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages index at 3 percent,'' the PSA said.

Slower annual increments were also noted in the indices of the following commodity groups: alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 9.9 percent; clothing and footwear, 2.4 percent; housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels; and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, both at 3.2 percent; health, 3.7%; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 3.5 percent.

Excluding selected food and energy items, core inflation decelerated to 3.4 percent in April. Core inflation in March 2019 and April 2018 were both recorded at 3.5 percent.

Inflation in NCR was at 3.1 percent, from 3.2 percent in March and 5.2 percent in April 2018.

The highest annual inflation rate remained in the Mimaropa region at 4.6 percent. DMS