Malaysia's consumer price inflation increased in May, data released by the Department of Statistics showed Wednesday. Economists had forecast inflation to stay unchanged.
Inflation as per the consumer price index rose to 1.8 percent in May from 1.7 percent in the previous month. Economists had forecast the figure to remain unchanged from the April level.
In May, inflation was influenced by a 3.5 percent gain in food and non-alcoholic beverages prices, and a 2 percent rise in housing costs and utility prices. There was a 0.4 percent rise in transportation costs, and a 0.7 percent decrease in clothing and footwear prices.
On a monthly basis, the consumer price index moved up 0.3 percent in May. During the January-May period, consumer prices advanced 1.6 percent from the corresponding period a year earlier, the agency said.
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