Consumer Price Index (CPI) April-2023
St John’s Antigua, June 27, 2023. The Statistics Division, under the Ministry of Finance and Corporate Governance releases the CPI for Apr 2023.
Year-on-Year Analysis
The All Items Index increased 7.7% for the twelve months ending April 2023; this was the largest twelve-month increase since the December 2022 increase of 4.5%.
Rising prices for airlines fares, cellular phones, meals outside the home and clothing and footwear contributed the increase in the All-Items Index.
The index for Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages increased 10.1% with the Food Index increasing 10.7% over the last twelve months. All nine food-subcategories rose over the twelve months. The increase in the Food Index was driven by increases Bread and Cereals (+10.8%), Meat and Meat Products (+10.1%) and Vegetales (7.8%).
The indexes for Food Products N.E.C and Sugar, Jams, Honey, Chocolate and Confectionery both rose 19.4% over the past months. The remaining major supermarket food groups posted increases ranging from Fruit (+4.0%) to Oils and Fats (15.2%).
Core inflation (All Items Less Food and Energy index) rose 8.5% over the past twelve months. The components within the category accounts for 81.2% of the total increase in the All Items index. The increase was driven primarily by five indexes Transport Services (+45.7%), Communication (+14.4%), Clothing and Footwear (+12.2%), Furnishing Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance (+4.6%) and Restaurants and Hotels (+19.7%).
Month-to-Month Price Changes
The Monthly Consumer Price Index increased by 4.0% for the month ending March 2023.
The Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages index increased by 1.4% with the index for Food increasing by 1.7% over the month. The index for Non-Alcoholic Beverages declined by 0.6% in April after a 0.4% increase the previous month.
The index for Fish and Seafood rose 3.7% over the month while the index for Sugars, Jams, Honey, Chocolate and Confectionery increased by 2.5%.
The index for Vegetables increased by 2.4% following a decline of 1.2% in March.
In contrast, the Fruit index fell by 0.3% following of the 2.2% increase from the previous month.
The index for All Items Less Food and Energy rose 5.0%, a larger increase than the 0.4% in March. The index for Transport Services specically airline fares increased by 44.7%. Average price increases were recorded for the four destinations (Barbados, St. Maarten, New York, Miami and United Kingdom). Other notable increases over the month include Communication (+9.7%), Restaurant and Hotels (+7.0%) and Health (5.5%).
Methodology
What is the consumer price index (CPI) measuring and how is it done?
The All Items Consumer Price Index (CPI) is the main measure of what is commonly called inflation, or headline inflation. It measures the change in prices, on average, from month to month, and from year to year of the goods and services bought by most households.
Prices are collected monthly and quarterly from supermarkets and other suppliers of goods and services. The pattern of household expenditure on these goods and services is derived from a regular household budget (or expenditure) survey (HBS). The prices and spending patterns (known as weights) are then combined to calculate the price indices for groups of goods and services and for the All Items index. These indices are based on expenditure patterns in 2006.
The All Items (or overall) index, with all of its twelve (12) component indices, is published each month.
For a detailed account of the methodology used in calculating the CPI, please call the Statistics Division.
Copies of the CPI for Apr 2023 can be accessed on the Division’s official website www.statistics.gov.ag
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“Rising prices for airlines fares, cellular phones, meals outside the home and clothing and footwear contributed the increase in the All-Items Index.”
Now look at the differences between the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The CPI are dealing with the FACTS, whilst the IMF were recently using PREDICTIONS to forecast growth in Antigua & Barbuda; and this lazy ABLP government latched onto the IMF forecasted growth, thinking this would appease independent thinking Antiguans.
REMEMBER FACTS, NOT PREDICTIONS MATTER …
“. However, output will
return to pre-pandemic levels only by 2025 due to scarring effects of the pandemic.
Inflation is forecasted to accelerate to 8½ percent in 2022, reflecting the pass-through
from higher global food and fuel prices, before moderating to 4½ percent in 2023. To
cushion the impact of rising living costs on the vulnerable, the government introduced targeted subsidies to the transport and fishing sectors to keep public transportation fares and seafood prices stable and removed taxes on flour to contain the rise in bread prices. ” see A&B Article IV @ IMF
@Brix – you are really out of your depths and just a liar. The IMF report also spoke about inflation and the things that are being done to help contain it. When dealing with growth, inflation has to be and is considered in order for the IMF to present the Real GDP. When the IMF speaks of growth, its inflation adjusted hence Real GDP not nominal. Let me add that the central bank governor also spoke on this and pointed out going forward we expect for inflation to be less of a problem, since in general its imported and is declining in the US (our major market)
Then if as you say @ tenman, that I am out of my depth fiscally, then why respond? And also I note with interest that you don’t mention the inevitable VARIABLES that will definitely come into play with the IMF’s forecasting – and you’re telling me you didn’t even realise this?
Again, predictions aren’t facts. Dummy!
You speak like a person who has never run a business, dealt with actual financial acumen, or any sort of large scale project – requiring a skilled team – or come to that even a bath!
A government and leader who cares nothing for the people, is what has allowed the prices of goods and services to rise unchecked while salaries remain in the dust. As long as he and those in his corrupt bubble are managing, he doesn’t seem to care.
This article is not true our Pam said prices are on the decline and we can expect an increase in taxes as a result.
This article is simply to make the PM look like a liar.
This article is not true.
@Melchisedec, I hope your are being facetious. Gaston Browne is the biggest liar on Antigua and Barbuda with stiff competition from Lionel Hurst and Tanny Rose. If you believe anything this idiot says, then you are more naïve that a child. Where in the world is cost of living decreasing? Gaston Browne knows nothing about economics and finances except the little he learned from Swiss Bank, and you see where that is today.
@tenman must spin his lies in support of this corrupt, failed ALP government. Its amazing that he is now quoting IMF predictions, when the Labourites have a phobia with the IMF, perpetrated by the Dawg.
Cost of living could be controlled, to some extent, and this failed government was given suggestions how to. But alas, the clown at the top has absolutely no interest in the welfare of the people of this country, and, I repeat again, Gaston Browne has done NOTHING for Antigua and Barbuda. Everything he touches or announces, just turns to mud, corruption, underhanded deals and self-enrichment for him and his cronies. “If we don’t end this whole charade, we can’t last another decade( although I say by year’s end, we will be on the brink of disaster.)
Allow me a sarcastic chuckle. Here comes the TAXES. Another word the Labourites have a phobia with, especially when you put INCOME Infront of TAXES. An average of 800 million annually, and this idiot speaks of taxes! Why? Because he has mismanaged the country’s economy, with millions leaking into the pockets of politicians.
to help curb inflation.
Will the current administration ever do anything about the rising cost of living?
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