Inflation Rises Slightly in Trinidad and Tobago

•  Inflation in Trinidad and Tobago has risen slightly in November, according to the Central Statistical Office (CSO). The rate of inflation for November 2024, which measures the percentage change in the All-Items Index for the month of November 2024 over November 2023, amounted to 0.5%.
• This represents an increase from the previous period (October 2024/October 2023) of 0.2%. The inflation rate for the comparative period (November 2023/November 2022) was 1.1%, according to the CSO.
• The All-Items Index calculated from the prices collected for the month of November 2024 was 124.6 points, representing an increase of 0.2 points of 0.2% above the All-Items Index for October 2024, it said.
• The Index for Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages increased from 150.8 in October 2024 to 151.6 in November 2024, reflecting an increase of 0.5%. Contributing significantly to this increase was the general upward movement in the prices of tomatoes, fresh carite, Irish potatoes, other chilled or frozen chicken, hot peppers, fresh king fish, pumpkin, curry, celery and garlic.
• However, the full impact of these price increases was offset by the general decreases in the prices of cucumber, carrots, eddoes, table margarine, fresh steak, ripe bananas, soya bean oil, oranges, dasheen and pimento, the CSO noted.
• A further review of the data for November 2024 compared with October 2024 reflected increases in the sub-indices for Clothing and Footwear of 0.2% and Health of 0.1%. This period also showed a decrease in the sub-index for Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco of 0.2%. All other sections remained unchanged, the CSO release added.

(Source: Trinidad Express Newspaper)