Lanka Inflation Steady at 4.2%

Sri Lanka’s consumer prices as measured by National Consumer Price Index rose at a steady pace of 4.2% in December from the 4.1% reported a month ago, data from the state statistics office showed, LBO reported. The Department of Census and Statistics said the NCPI has been calculated as 118.0 for December 2016. This shows an increase of 1.4 index points or a percentage of 1.2 compared to the previous month’s (November) index of 116.6. “This monthly change was due to the increase of expenditure value of food items by 1.25% and decrease of expenditure value of non-food items by 0.08%,” statistics office said. “In December 2016 contribution to the inflation from food group and non-food group are 1.06% and 3.18% respectively.” The increase in expenditure value of food commodity group in December compared to that of November was due to the price increases in rice, coconut, fresh fish, big onions, potatoes, papaw, vegetables, eggs, coconut oil, green chilies and beef.