PPI decreases 2.2 per cent in March

KUALA LUMPUR: The Producer Price Index (PPI) for local production declined 2.2 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) to 106.3 in March 2018, compared with a decrease of 3.4 per cent in February 2018.

The Department of Statistics said sectors which had registered a decrease during the period included agriculture, forestry and fishing (-11.0 per cent) and manufacturing (-2.3 per cent).

However, the PPI for the following sectors increased y-o-y, namely mining (+5.8 per cent), electricity and gas supply (+1.3 per cent ) and water supply (+0.1 per cent), said the department in a statement yesterday.

On a monthly basis, the PPI for local production fell 0.4 per cent month-on-month (m-o-m) due to the decline in agriculture, forestry and fishing (-2.9 per cent), mining (-0.1 per cent), manufacturing (-0.4 per cent) and water supply (-0.2 per cent ) sectors.

Meanwhile, the electricity and gas supply index increased by 0.8 per cent.

The PPI for local production by stage of processing (SOP) decreased by 0.4 per cent m-o-m, due to the negative changes in the index for crude materials for further processing (-1.0 per cent) and supplies and components (-0.6 per cent ).

However, finished goods registered an increase of 0.2 per cent.

On a y-o-y basis, the PPI for local production by SOP decreased 2.2 per cent, following the decline in the crude materials for further processing (-0.7 per cent), intermediate materials, supplies and components (-2.8 per cent) and finished goods (-2.2 per cent). — Bernama