Malaysia Inflation Rate at 13-Month Low

Consumer prices in Malaysia rose 2.0 percent year-on-year in May of 2016, compared to a 2.1 percent gain in April and matching market estimates. It was the lowest inflation figure since April 2015 as prices of food and housing & utilities eased while cost of transport fell further.

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Year-on-year, prices moderated for: food & non-alcoholic beverages (+4.1 percent in May from +4.2 percent in April); housing, water, electricity, gas & other fuels (+2.2 percent from +2.6 percent); furnishing, household equipment & routine maintenance (+2.2 percent from +2.6 percent); health (+2.0 percent from +2.2 percent); recreation services & culture (+1.5 percent from +1.6 percent), restaurants & hotels (+2.5 percent from +2.7 percent) and miscellaneous goods & services (+2.5 percent from +2.6 percent). Price rose at a faster pace for: alcoholic beverages & tobacco (+22.1 percent from +20.1 percent) and education (+2.2 percent from +2.1 percent). In contrast, cost declined for clothing & footwear (-0.9 percent from -0.7 percent), transport (-5.6 percent from -5.5 percent) and communication (-2.2 percent from -2.1 percent).

Calendar	GMT	Reference	Actual	Previous	Consensus	Forecast
2016-04-20	4:00 AM	Mar	2.60%	4.20%	3.60%	3.70%
2016-05-20	4:00 AM	Apr	2.10%	2.60%	2.20%	2.20%
2016-06-15	4:00 AM	May	2.00%	2.10%	2%	2.20%
2016-07-20	4:00 AM	Jun		2%		2.30%
2016-08-24	4:00 AM	Jul				2.60%
2016-09-21	4:00 AM	Aug				2.40%

Among food & non-alcoholic beverages, customers had to pay more for: food (+4.2 percent in May from +4.4 percent in April); food at home (+4.6 percent from +4.6 percent); rice, bread & other cereals (+0.9 percent from +0.9 percent); meat (+0.3 percent from +0.5 percent); fish & seafood (+6.6 percent from +8.4 percent); milk & eggs (+1.1 percent from +0.1 percent), oils & fats (+0.4 percent from +0.4 percent), fruits (+6.1 percent from +7.3 percent); vegetables (+15.3 percent from +12.5 percent); sugar, jam, honey, chocolate & confectionary (+1.8 percent from +2.1 percent); food products (+5.3 percent from +4.9 percent) and food away from home (+3.6 percent from +3.9 percent) and coffee, tea, cocoa & non-alcoholic beverages (+0.6 percent from +1.0 percent). 

Forecast	Actual	Q2/16	Q3/16	Q4/16	Q1/17	2020	Unit
Inflation Rate	2	2.3	3.1	3.3	3.4	3.47	percent

Core consumer prices rose by 2.1 percent year-on-year in May, slowing from 2.3 percent in the preceding month.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.3 percent, after gaining 0.4 percent in April. Upward prices pressure came from:  food & non-alcoholic beverages (+0.3 percent), alcoholic beverages & tobacco (+0.1 percent), housing, water, electricity, gas & other fuels (+0.5 percent), health (+0.1 percent), recreation services & culture (+0.1 percent), restaurants & hotels (+0.2 percent) and miscellaneous goods & services (+0.2 percent). In contrast, prices declined by 0.1 percent for clothing & footwear. Prices remained unchanged for: furnisshing, household equipment & routine maintenance, transport, communication and education.

Source: http://www.tradingeconomics.com