Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that the consumer price index, (CPI) which measures inflation increased by 13.22 percent (year-on-year) in August 2020. This is 0.40 percent points higher than the rate recorded in July 2020 (12.82 percent).
Increases were recorded in all COICOP (Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose) divisions that yielded the Headline index.
On a month-on-month basis, the Headline index increased by 1.34 percent in August 2020. This is 0.09 percent higher than the rate recorded in July 2020 (1.25 percent).
The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the twelve months period ending August 2020 over the average of the CPI for the previous twelve months period was 12.23 percent, representing a 0.18 percent point rise from 12.05 percent recorded in July 2020.
The urban inflation rate increased by 13.83 percent (year-on-year) in August 2020 from 13.40 percent recorded in July 2020, while the rural inflation rate increased by 12.65 percent in August 2020 from 12.28 percent in July 2020.
On a month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 1.42 percent in August 2020, up by 0.15 from 1.27 percent recorded in July 2020, while the rural index also rose by 1.27 percent in August 2020, up by 0.04 from the rate recorded in July 2020 (1.23 percent).
The corresponding twelve-month year-on-year average percentage change for the urban index was 12.85 percent in August 2020. This is higher than 12.66 percent reported in July 2020, while the corresponding rural inflation rate in August 2020 was 11.66 percent compared to 11.49 percent recorded in July 2020.