The consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.92% in February due to the incidence of increases in transportation, various goods and services, food and non-alcoholic beverages, restaurants and hotels and housing, indicates the Central Bank, which indicates that so far this year inflation has been 2.11 percent.
It adds that the year-on-year inflation measured from February 2021 to February of this year was 8.98%, and the annualized underlying was 6.97% last month.
He explains that the rise in lfuel prices and ground transportation services covers 42% of inflation in the month of February 2022.
“The analysis of the governing body of monetary policy indicates that, in relation to the detail of the CPI by groups of goods and services, the most significant variations were registered in the transportation groups with 1.97%, miscellaneous goods and services 1.03%, food and beverages non-alcoholic 0.96%, restaurants and hotels 0.66% and housing 0.65%”, he points out.
Explain what the rise of 1.97% in transportation was mainly due to the increase in prices per gallon of regular gasoline at 3.30% and of the premium at 3.56%; of liquefied gas for vehicles at 2.40% and diesel at 4.33%.
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“In addition, price increases were recorded in land transportation services by public car 1.02%, urban bus 1.60%, taxi 2.38%, motoconcho 0.74%, buses of private companies 5.68%as well as automobiles 0.49% and tickets abroad 2.97%”, explains the BCRD.
The 1.03% increase in the CPI in miscellaneous goods and services, he attributes it to increases in health insurance by 9.31%, childcare services by 4.82%, personal care services, such as haircuts for men by 1.07%, hair washing and styling 0.78% and in personal care items 0.62%.
The 0.96% rise in food prices and non-alcoholic beverages says it responds to increases in the prices of peppers 8.27%, cassava 5.17%, green bananas 2.27%, soybean oil 1.96%, sour lemons 15.33%, fresh chicken 0.35%, avocados 6.87%, rice 0.43%, potatoes 3.83%.
While pork rose 1.49%, carrots 11.36%, evaporated milk 2.46%, fish 3.79%, purified water 0.82%, green bananas 2.09%, green pigeon peas 5.20%, passion fruit 11.61%, liquid milk 1.03 percent.
Only eggs -2.43%, onions -5.70% and garlic -3.80% experienced drops in their prices.
The report attributes the rise of 0.66% in the IPC of the restaurants and hotels groupto the increase in the prices of food services prepared outside the home, such as the dish of the day 0.64%, the chicken service 0.70% and food services with accompaniment 0.59%, due to the price increases of basic supplies for its elaboration, such as meats, oils, rice, beans, some groceries, breads, sausages, cheeses and gas.
The increase of 0.65% of the housing group, it indicates, was due to the rise of LPG in 2.40%housing rental service 0.17%, housing maintenance services 1.07% and door repair 4.12 percent.
The report indicates that domestic prices are affected by the rise in oil prices due to uncertainty generated by the geopolitical conflicts that limit the production and supply of crude oil.
