Today, the Statistical Institute of Belize published its latest statistics on the consumer price index, external trade, and the consumer confidence index for January 2025.
Consumer Price Index
For the month of January 2025, the Statistical Institute of Belize’s monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) survey showed that the All-Items CPI, which summarizes price levels across all categories of consumer goods and services, stood at 119.8. This increased from 117.3 reported in January 2024, reflecting a national inflation rate of 2.2 percent. For January 2025, the month-over-month inflation rate showed that prices declined by a marginal 0.2 percent compared to December 2024. The ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ category was down by 1.1 percent, driven by lower prices for fresh fruits and vegetables. Conversely, the ‘Transport’ category rose by 0.6 percent over the one-month period, driven by higher fuel costs such as diesel, gasoline, and butane for transport equipment.
Click the following link to read more: Consumer Price Index, January 2025
Merchandise Trade
Belize’s total imports of goods for January 2025 were valued at $242.6 million. This represented a decrease of 10.9 percent, or $29.7 million, from January 2024, when imports were valued at $272.2 million.
Total domestic exports for January 2025 amounted to $17.1 million, up slightly by 2.1 percent or $0.3 million compared to January 2024, when they were valued at $16.8 million.
Click the following link to read more: External Trade, January 2025
Consumer Confidence Index
The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) measures consumers’ sentiments concerning general economic conditions within the country, their household’s economic situation, and making major household purchases. It provides an early indication of future household spending, investing, and saving. With household spending being a major contributor to the overall economy, this, in turn, is an early indicator of future economic growth.
The CCI is an index number ranging from 0 (completely pessimistic) to 100 (completely optimistic). Generally, a value greater than 50 indicates consumers are more optimistic about the economy and their economic prospects. The CCI is comprised of three components: (1) perceptions about how present macroeconomic conditions and the household’s financial situation compare to twelve months prior; (2) expectations about economic conditions and the household’s financial situation over the coming twelve months; and (3) perceptions about whether the present is a good time for making major purchases of durable goods such as homes, cars, furniture, and appliances. An index is also produced for these three components to provide more detailed information on what is driving consumer sentiment. The CCI intends to provide information on how consumer sentiment moves in the short term; therefore, it is usually analyzed month-over-month.
For the month of January 2025, the national Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) stood at 50.5, up by 5.2 percent from 48.0 in December 2024 (see Figure 1). This marked the first month since the Statistical Institute of Belize started compiling this indicator that consumers’ sentiment has crossed the threshold into optimism about the economy and their own economic prospects. It also highlights the gradual improvement in consumer confidence since September 2024, fueled by growing optimism about future economic conditions.
Click the following link to read more: Consumer Confidence Index, January 2025
