CONSUMER PRICE INDEX

January 2017

INFLATION RISES YEAR-TO-YEAR ANALYSIS

Consumers paid 1.9 per cent more in January 2017 The Education, Recreation, Entertainment & Reading
than they did a year ago for the basket of goods and sector was the largest contributor to the year-over-year
services included in the Consumer Price Index increase. This sector rose 4.0 per cent, led by increases
(CPI). The level of inflation increased 0.3 in local and overseas tuition.
percentage points from the 1.6 per cent measured in
December 2016. In addition, the Health & Personal Care sector and the
Rent sector rose 3.3 per cent and 1.4 per cent,
Between December 2016 and January 2017, the respectively.
average cost of goods and services in the CPI
increased by 0.1 per cent. The all-items index
increased to 102.2 in January. This means that the
basket of goods and services that cost $100.00 in
April 2015 now costs $102.20.

Inflation
Rate
1.9%
The compilation of SUMMARY STATISTICS
the CPI involves the Monthly Quarterly
processing of several Annual Annual
Period Index per cent Period Index per cent
thousand price Change Change
quotations. The 2016 2015
Jan 100.3 +1.7 Q1 98.9 +1.5
Department of
Feb 100.2 +1.3 Q2 100.2 +1.7
Statistics wishes to Mar 100.1 +1.0 Q3 100.6 +1.5
Apr 101.1 +1.1 Q4 100.5 +1.2
acknowledge the
May 100.9 +1.1
cooperation of the Jun 101.5 +0.8 2016
business community Jul 102.2 +1.6 Q1 100.2 +1.3
Aug 101.7 +1.3 Q2 101.2 +1.0
in supplying the Sep 102.7 +2.0 Q3 102.2 +1.6
required price data. Oct 102.7 +2.1 Q4 102.3 +1.8
Nov 102.2 +1.7
Dec 102.1 +1.6

2017
Jan 102.2 +1.9

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 BERMUDA CONSUMER PRICE INDEX

MONTH-TO-MONTH ANALYSIS Rent

Food
The Rent sector was static in January.
The Food sector rebounded from two months of Education, Recreation, Entertainment & Reading
decline, increasing 2.0 per cent in January. Items The Education, Recreation, Entertainment &
that were on special in December returned to Reading sector was unchanged in January. The cost
regular pricing in January. Leading factors to the of premium fuel increased 0.5 per cent but was
increase were cookies (10.2 per cent), non- offset by a 0.4 per cent decrease in the average cost
alcoholic beverages (10.2 per cent) and fresh and of pet upkeep.
frozen lamb (-7.7 per cent).
Fuel & Power
Clothing & Footwear The Fuel & Power sector declined for the fourth
The Clothing & Footwear sector increased 1.2 in consecutive month, falling 2.3 per cent in January.
January. The average cost of womens clothing The fuel adjustment rate decreased 7.0 per cent
increased 0.5 per cent. month-over-month.
Tobacco & Liquor Transport & Foreign Travel
The Tobacco & Liquor sector increased 0.8 per The Transport & Foreign Travel sector decreased
cent in January, following a 0.4 per cent decline in 1.2 per cent in January, following a 1.3 per cent
December. The average cost of spirits and wines increase in December. The average cost of airfares
rose 2.8 per cent and 0.5 per cent, respectively. fell by 7.8 per cent for the month. In contrast, the
cost of auxiliary and motor cycles as well as cycle
Health & Personal Care repair & maintenance increased 1.6 per cent and 1.1
The Health & Personal Care sector was unchanged per cent, respectively.
in January, for the third consecutive month.
Household Goods, Services & Supplies
The Household Goods, Services & Supplies sector
was static for the third consecutive month. The
average cost of detergents & bleaches decreased by
1.6 per cent but was offset by an increase of 1.0 per
cent in the average cost of food wraps & trash bags.

COMPUTING PRICE INCREASES

The Department of Statistics receives calls daily requesting the rate of inflation over specific periods of time. The
following calculations are provided to guide users as to how to compute rates of price increases. The monthly index
numbers can be obtained from our website www.gov.bm.

A) Month-to-Month Price Change B) Year-to-Year Price Change C) Particular Period Price Change
The price change between November The price change between December The price change between April 2014
and October, 2015 is calculated as 2015 and December, 2014 is calculated and January, 2016 is calculated as
Follows: as follows: follows:
Nov 15 index - Oct 15 index Dec 15 index - Dec 14 index Jan 16 index - Apr 14 index
100 100 100
Oct 15 index Dec 14 index Apr 14 index

100.5 100.6 100.5 98.7 100.3 98.3

100 100 100
100.6 98.7 98.3

0.1% 1.8% 2. 0%

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 BERMUDA CONSUMER PRICE INDEX

APRIL 2015 = 100

Household Education,
Clothing Tobacco Fuel Goods, Transport Recreation, Health &
& & & Services & & Foreign Entertain. Personal
All Items Food Rent Footwear Liquor Power Supplies Travel & Reading Care

2013
WEIGHT 1000 115 267 25 31 39 116 130 147 130

ANNUAL AVERAGE ( per cent)

2012 +2.4 +3.5 +0.2 +4.3 +2.5 +9.3 +1.0 +1.6 +2.7 +6.6
2013 +1.8 +3.0 -0.3 +0.1 +4.4 -1.9 +0.5 +1.4 +2.5 +8.3
2014 +2.0 +3.1 +0.8 +2.0 +2.4 -2.4 +0.8 +1.7 +1.9 +6.7
2015 +1.5 +2.7 +0.6 +1.3 +1.2 -8.9 +2.1 -1.3 +0.9 +7.8
2016 +1.5 +1.9 +1.0 +0.4 +5.1 -3.3 +1.6 -2.2 +3.3 +4.5

MONTHLY ( per cent)

2015
Jan Nil 1.3 +0.1 +0.2 +0.3 -2.5 +0.4 -1.7 Nil +0.1
Feb +0.2 +0.2 Nil Nil +0.1 Nil Nil +1.9 -0.6 Nil
Mar +0.2 +0.3 +0.1 Nil +0.1 +1.3 Nil +0.7 -0.1 Nil
Apr +1.0 Nil +0.2 +0.5 +0.4 Nil +0.1 +0.4 +0.1 +6.5
May -0.2 +0.4 +0.1 Nil Nil -2.6 Nil -1.0 Nil Nil
Jun +0.8 +0.1 Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil +5.9 +0.3 Nil
Jul -0.1 +0.1 Nil +0.7 Nil +4.0 +2.1 -3.6 -0.1 Nil
Aug -0.2 +0.3 +0.1 Nil +0.1 Nil Nil -1.6 -0.2 +0.1
Sep +0.3 -0.1 Nil Nil +0.2 Nil +0.3 +0.9 +0.9 -0.1
Oct -0.1 +0.2 +0.1 Nil Nil -1.3 Nil -1.2 +0.2 +0.5
Nov -0.1 -0.5 Nil Nil Nil -1.3 Nil +0.1 Nil Nil
Dec Nil -0.2 +0.1 Nil +0.3 -2.0 Nil +0.4 +0.1 Nil

2016
Jan -0.2 +1.2 -0.1 +0.1 +0.4 -3.7 +0.1 -1.6 Nil Nil
Feb -0.1 +0.6 +0.1 Nil +1.1 Nil Nil -1.4 -0.3 +0.1
Mar -0.1 -0.1 Nil Nil Nil -0.8 +0.1 -0.7 +0.2 Nil
Apr +0.9 +0.3 Nil -0.5 +2.0 -2.6 Nil +0.8 +2.7 +3.2
May -0.1 -0.3 +0.1 Nil +1.5 -5.0 Nil -0.3 +0.5 Nil
Jun +0.5 +0.2 Nil Nil +0.8 +10.4 Nil +1.0 Nil -0.1
Jul +0.8 +0.3 +1.0 +0.1 Nil +4.3 +0.1 +2.5 -0.2 Nil
Aug -0.5 +0.1 +0.1 Nil Nil Nil Nil -4.3 Nil Nil
Sep +1.0 +0.1 Nil Nil +0.1 +6.0 +0.1 +4.5 +1.1 Nil
Oct Nil +0.1 Nil +0.3 Nil -0.9 +0.1 Nil +0.1 +0.1
Nov -0.5 -0.1 Nil +0.1 Nil -2.3 Nil -2.8 -0.2 Nil
Dec -0.1 -1.3 +0.1 Nil -0.4 -3.1 Nil +1.3 +0.1 Nil

2017
Jan +0.1 +2.0 Nil +1.2 +0.8 -2.3 Nil -1.2 Nil Nil

Jan 17 102.2 103.4 101.7 102.0 107.0 95.7 102.9 97.2 105.2 103.8

Jan '17
+1.9 +1.9 +1.4 +1.2 +5.9 +2.8 +0.4 -0.8 +4.0 +3.3
Jan '16

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 BERMUDA CONSUMER PRICE INDEX

WHAT IS THE CONSUMER PRICE WEIGHTED AVERAGE

INDEX? A mathematical formula that takes into account the
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a statistical tool relative importance of an items price change
used for measuring changes in the general level of compared to the overall change in the sector or CPI.
prices of consumer goods and services purchased by Inflation
private households.
Inflation is the process of rising prices, resulting in
The index measures price movements of a given diminishing purchasing power of a given sum of
quality and quantity of goods and services. The mix money.
of these consumer goods and services comprising the
index, are figuratively thought of as a shopping Cost of Living Index
basket. In constructing this shopping basket, the Many individuals refer to the CPI as a cost-of-living
selected goods and services are organized first by index. The CPI is an index of pure price change only.
commodity type. They are then divided into sub- A cost-of-living index reflects the changes in buying
components and assigned to a major expenditure or consumption patterns that consumers would
group. The Bermuda CPI is structured into nine ordinarily make to adjust to any change in the price
expenditure groups or sectors: of a good or service.
Food
Rent
Clothing & Footwear
Tobacco & Liquor
A COMPARISON OF RATES OF INFLATION (%)
Fuel & Power
Selected Countries & Bermuda
Transport & Foreign Travel
Household Goods, Services & Supplies 2013 2014 2015 2016 Jan 17

Education, Recreation, Entertainment & Bermuda 1.8 2.0 1.5 1.5 +1.9
1 1.5 0.8 0.7 2.1
Reading United States +2.5
2 0.9 2.0 1.1 1.4
Canada +2.1
Health & Personal Care 3
United Kingdom 3.0 2.4 1.0r 1.8 +2.6

CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS Sources:

1. US Bureau of Labour Statistics
Base Period 2. Statistics Canada
3. UK Office of National Statistics
The time period which is used as a reference point for
measuring the price change of goods and services.
The base period for the Bermuda CPI is April 2015.
Price Index Number Published by the Government of Bermuda
March 2017
A single figure that shows how a set of prices has
changed over a specified period of time. An index
number on its own means nothing. It must be The Cabinet Office
compared with an index number from another period Department of Statistics
to have meaning. For example, a comparison of the Cedar Park Centre,
index number 97.2 for January 2014 with 100.4 for 48 Cedar Avenue, Hamilton HM 11
January 2016, reveals that prices have increased by
3.3 percent. P.O. Box HM 3015
Hamilton HM MX, Bermuda
Laspeyres Equation
The CPI is computed using this statistical equation. Tel: (441) 297-7761, Fax: (441) 295-8390
This formula calculates the total amount of money a Website: www.gov.bm
household needs today to purchase the same basket
of goods and services that it bought in the base
period, April 2015.