Today, the Statistical Institute of Belize published its latest statistics on the consumer price index and external trade for the country of Belize.
Consumer Price Index
Figures released by the Institute show that the All-Items Consumer Price Index for January 2018 stood at 105, an increase from 104.1 in January 2017. On average, during this month in 2018, the prices of goods and services regularly purchased by Belizean households were 0.9 percent higher than they were in the same month of 2017. With a reported 1.8 percent inflation rate, Punta Gorda Town experienced the highest increase in consumer prices for January 2018, mainly attributed to a higher than average increase in food prices within this municipality during the month. Meanwhile, Belmopan, where home rental costs remained unchanged compared to last January, reported the country’s lowest inflation rate at 0.1 percent.
Click the following link to read more: Consumer Price Index, January 2018
Merchandise Trade
In January 2018, Belize imported goods valuing $144.2 million. This represented a 5.9 percent or nearly $8 million increase from the same month last year. The first month of the year saw a sizeable jump in the quantities of diesel, regular and premium fuels imported. As a result, the ‘Mineral Fuels and Lubricants’ category rose significantly by 64 percent or $8.1 million, from $12.5 million in January 2017 to $20.6 million in January 2018.
The total value of Belize’s domestic exports for the month of January 2018 was $25.7 million, down 25.5 percent or $8.8 million from the $34.5 million recorded for January 2017. This marked reduction in total earnings from domestic exports was largely because only bagged sugar was exported in January 2018, while sugar exports for January 2017 included bulk sugar. For that reason, sugar revenues for the month were considerably lower than in January of last year, falling by $9.3 million from $11.9 million to $2.6 million.
Click the following link to read more: External Trade, January 2018
