Sri Lanka’s headline inflation as measured by the year-on-year change in the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI, 2013=100)1 increased marginally to 2.2 per cent in July 2019 from 2.1 per cent in June 2019, Central Bank announced.
This increase was due to the monthly increases of prices of items in both Food and Non-food categories.
The National Consumer Price Index compiled by the Census and Statistics Department had risen 2.1 percent in June 2019, the lowest in five months, down from 3.5 percent in May
when monthly change is considered, the NCPI increased by 0.2 per cent in July 2019 with the increases observed in the prices of the items in both Food and Nonfood categories.
In the food category, prices of green chillies, fresh fish and potatoes increased while in the non-food category, prices of the items in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, and recreation and culture subcategories increased during the month.
The core inflation, which reflects the underlying inflation in the economy, remained unchanged at 6.1 per cent in July 2019 on year-on-year basis.
However, annual average core inflation increased to 4.7 per cent in July 2019 from 4.4 per cent in June 2019.
(LI)