Malaysia Inflation rises 3.5% in Dec 2017, full year 3.7%

Jan 25, 2018Updated May 26, 20251 min read

Malaysia’s consumer price index (CPI) expanded 3.5% to 120.9 in December 2017 from 116.8 in the corresponding month of 2016, mainly driven by the transport segment, which was up 11.5%.

For the full year of 2017, CPI rose 3.7% compared with the same period in 2016.

According to the Department of Statistics, other major groups which recorded increases in December 2017 were food & non-alcoholic beverages (+4.1%), restaurants and hotels (+2.6%), furnishings, household equipment & routine household maintenance (+2.4%), health (+2.3%) and housing, water, electricity, gas & other fuels (+2.2%).

On a month-on-month basis, CPI increased 0.1% in December 2017. Core inflation, which excludes most volatile items of fresh food, as well as administered prices of goods and services, rose 2.2% in December 2017 compared with the same month of the previous year.

MIDF Research expects the headline inflation rate to average at 2.6% in 2018 amid unfavourable base effects.

Tags

About the author

Mei Ling Tan

Contributor · RetailNews.asia

Mei Ling Tan is the Editor of Retail News Asia, where she leads the editorial team in delivering in-depth coverage of Asia’s dynamic retail landscape. With over a decade of experience in business journalism, Mei Ling is known for her sharp analysis, deep industry insights, and commitment to uncovering the stories behind Asia’s most innovative retail brands. Before joining Retail News Asia, Mei Ling held senior reporting roles at regional business publications, covering everything from consumer trends to digital transformation in retail. A graduate of the National University of Singapore with a degree in Communications and New Media, she combines journalistic integrity with a strong understanding of evolving market forces. Outside the newsroom, Mei Ling is a frequent speaker at industry panels and a mentor for young journalists.

Asia's retail intelligence, in your inbox