The consumer price index (CPI) fell by 0.1 percent in October 2018 compared with the previous month.
By Zakaria Oudrhiri
Rabat – The drop change is the result of a 0.5 percent decrease in the food index and a 0.1 percent increase in the non-food index, according to the High Commission for Planning (HCP) report.
The drops in food products from September to October 2018 are mainly due to lower fruit prices with drops of 4.6 percent, fish and seafood with 3.1 percent, and meats with 0.5 percent.
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Prices increased by 1.4 percent for vegetables and 0.2 percent for mineral waters and soft drinks. For non-food products, the increase mainly concerned fuel prices which rose 1.5 percent.
Declines in the CPI were most significant in Agadir and Al-Hoceima with 0.4 percent; Fez, Kenitra, Rabat, and Beni-Mellal with 0.3 percent; and Tetouan, Meknes, and Laayoune with 0.2 percent. In contrast, increases were recorded in Settat and Safi with 0.3 percent and in Guelmim with 0.2 percent.
Compared to the same month of the previous year, the consumer price index rose by 1.1 percent in October 2018 as a result of the 2.0 percent rise in the non-food products index and the 0.8 percent fall in the food products index.
For non-food products, the variations range from an increase of 0.3 percent in communication to 6.5 percent in other goods and services.
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The underlying inflation indicator, which excludes products with volatile prices and products with public tariffs, increased by 0.1 percent in October 2018 compared to September 2018 and by 0.7 percent compared to October 2017.
The CPI measures changes in the average price level of goods and services consumed by households, weighted by their share of average household consumption.
