Weekly Business

Inflation
May Inflation Highest Since 2009

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) says the rate of inflation in May 2015 was 0.5 percent, the highest rate in the month of May for the last six years. "The previous high for inflation in May was in 2008, at 1.41 percent," said BPS Chief Suryamin in Jakarta last Monday. Accordingly, the annuali inflation rate has been booked at 7.15 percent.

Suryamin cited an increase in the price of a variety of foodstuff, such as chili peppers (22.22 percent), poultry (5.09 percent), onions (6.19 percent) and eggs (6.13 percent), as the reason for the high inflation rate. An electricity-rate hike of 0.62 percent has also pushed it up. "This is because electricity has a high weighting of 3.4 percent in the consumer price index."

June 9, 2015