KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 — The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 2.7 per cent to 111.8 in December 2014 compared with 108.9 in the same month in 2013, the Statistics Department said.

In a statement today, the department attributed the increase to the rise in the indices for alcoholic beverages and tobacco (10.6 per cent); restaurants and hotels (4.1 per cent); transport (four per cent);  housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (3.4 per cent); health (3.3 per cent); and food and non-alcoholic beverages (2.4 per cent).

The department said these six groups of goods and services contributed 96.9 per cent to the increase in the CPI for December last year.

“The CPI for the 12 months in 2014 increased by 3.2 per cent to 110.5 compared with the same period in 2013.

“This increase has been driven by alcoholic beverages and tobacco; transport; restaurants and hotels; food and non-alcoholic beverages; and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels,” it said.

It said the notable increases among these main groups with high weights were for transport, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels and food and non-alcoholic beverages.

“Other increases were for alcoholic beverages and tobacco, in addition to restaurants and hotels,” it added. — Bernama