Inflation rate slows to 3.5% in Sept. — NSO

The country's annual headline inflation rate at the national level decelerated to 3.5 percent in September from 4.0 percent in August according to data released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) Tuesday. NSO Administrator Carmelita N. Ericta said in the statement that the drop was due to the slower annual rate of price adjustments posted in all the commodity groups except in the housing and repairs index. Excluding selected food and energy items, core inflation eased to 3.8 percent in September from 4.2 percent in August, the NSO said. Source: National Statistics Office In the National Capital Region the inflation rate at 3.5 percent in September was lower than the 4.5 percent in August. This was effected by the slowdown in the food, beverages and tobacco or FBT and the fuel, light and water or FLW indices. Annual inflation rate in Areas Outside the National Capital Region improved to 3.5 percent in September from 3.8 percent in August as slower annual price increases were noted in clothing, FLW, and services indices. Price cuts in food items such as rice, corn, chicken, pork and vegetables along with lower charges for electricity rates in many regions including NCR pushed down consumer prices by -0.2 percent in September from 0.2 percent in August. The general downward price adjustments in gasoline, diesel, and kerosene nationwide also contributed to the downtrend. — OMG/VS, GMANews.TV