Fifteen months after the beginning of the health and economic crisis, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua are the economies in the region with the highest inflation rates, a behavior that was influenced by increases in fuel and transportation costs.
In the second quarter of 2020, a period in which the countries of the region were going through a severe economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, inflation levels were low and in some economies negative variations were reported.
After the July Consumer Price Index reported a 6.1% year-on-year variation, in August the increase was 6.3%.
In cumulative terms, national inflation stood at 4.03% (1.66% in August 2018), induced by the behavior of prices in the divisions of Alcoholic beverages and tobacco (42.89%), Several goods and services (9.87%), and Food and non-alcoholic beverages (2.81%), with a joint contribution of 2.13%, reported the Central Bank of Nicaragua.
During June, the Consumer Price Index reported a 5.6% year-on-year variation, an inflationary rhythm that is lower than the 6% registered in May.
From the Central Bank of Nicaragua report:
The June Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed a 0.09 percent monthly increase (0.44% in June 2018), mainly explained by the behavior of prices in some goods and services of the Food and non-alcoholic beverages divisions (0.63%); Restaurants and hotels (0.60%); and Diverse goods and services (0.74%); which together contributed 0.333 percentage points to the observed variation. On the other hand, the division of Recreation and culture showed a 4.37 percent decrease, for a negative contribution of 0.167 percentage points.
In May, the CPI rose 6%, reinforcing the upward trend that has been reported since February.
In February, the indicator stood at 3.3%, in March it was 5.1% and in April, 5.8%. The May figure reinforces the upward trend that is likely to continue for the rest of the year.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for May showed a 0.77% monthly increase (0.55% in May 2018), mainly because of the behavior of prices in some goods and services of the Food and non-alcoholic beverages divisions (1.12%), informed the Central Bank of Nicaragua.
After the country's Consumer Price Index rose to 3.3% in February 2019, it went up to 5.1% in March and 5.8% in April.
Year-on-year inflation was 5.77%, 0.95% higher than in April 2018, while core year-on-year inflation was 6.30%, reported the Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN).
The NCB document explains that "... The division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco registered a 10.0 percent variation and contributed 0.147 percentage points.
After the country's Consumer Price Index rose to 3.3% in February 2019, it increased to 5.1% in March.
The March Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed a monthly increase of 1.82% (0.14% in March 2018), mainly because of the rise in prices of some goods and services of the divisions: Alcoholic beverages and tobacco (31.37%), Miscellaneous goods and services (3.76%), and Food and non-alcoholic beverages (1.62%), which together contributed 1.176 percentage points to the observed variation, reported the Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN).
Education and transportation services were the main spending divisions that during the second month of the year caused the variation of the Consumer Price Index in the country.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for February showed a 0.27 percent monthly increase (0.22% in February 2018), mainly because of the behavior of prices in some goods and services of the divisions of Education (3.86%), Transportation (1.35%), Furniture and household goods and their conservation (0.67%), which together contributed 0.388 percentage points to the observed variation, explains a report from the Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN).
During the first month of the year, the CPI registered a -0.25% variation, mainly because of the prices of the Recreation and Culture, and Food and non-alcoholic beverages divisions.
The January Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed a 0.25% monthly decrease, year-on-year inflation at 3.3%, while core year-on-year inflation was 3.88%, reported the Central Bank of Nicaragua.
In December, the CPI registered a monthly variation of 0.6%, because of the rise in Food and non-alcoholic beverages, Recreation and Culture and Health prices.
The report of the Central Bank of Nicaragua states that "... In cumulative terms, national inflation in 2018 reached 3.89 percent, 1.79 percentage points lower than that recorded in 2017 (5.68%).
During the eleventh month of the year, the CPI registered a 0.52% monthly variation, mainly because of the prices of Food and non-alcoholic beverages, and Communications.
The Central Bank of Nicaragua reported that in accumulated terms, national inflation reached 3.24% (4.51% in November 2017), caused by the behavior of goods and services prices in the sectors of Transportation; Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels; and Education with a joint contribution of 1.642 percentage points. In year-on-year terms, inflation was at 4.40%, 0.95 percentage points lower than that registered in November 2017, and subjacent inflation was 4.14% (4.07% in November 2017).
During the tenth month of the year, the CPI registered a monthly variation of 0.51%, mainly because of the prices of Food and non-alcoholic beverages.
According to the report of the Central Bank of Nicaragua, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed an increase of 0.51 percent (0.55% in October 2017), mainly caused by the behavior of prices in some goods and services of the Food and non-alcoholic beverages divisions (0.67%); Transportation (1.56%) and Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (0.82%); which together contributed 0.429 percentage points to the variation observed. On the other hand, the Leisure and culture division showed a decrease of 0.29 percent (-0.011pp).
After reaching its highest level in June this year with 5.6%, the price index reported a variation of 5.1% in September with respect to the same month in 2017.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 0.50 percent (0.32% in September 2017), mainly explained by the behavior of the prices in some goods and services of the divisions of Recreation and culture (6.79%); Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuel (1.73%) and Transportation (1.15%); which together contributed 0.496 percentage points to the observed variation.
After reaching the highest level this year with 5.6% in June, the price index reported a variation of 5.2% in August compared to the same month in 2017.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed a decrease of 0.24% (-0.03% in August 2017), explained mainly by the behavior of prices in some goods and services in the divisions of Food and non-alcoholic beverages (- 0.75%), Recreation and culture (-3.88%) and Communications (-0.06%), which together contributed -0.4 percentage points to the observed variation, reported the Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN).
During the seventh month of the year, the CPI recorded a monthly variation of -0.08%, mainly explained by the prices of Food and non-alcoholic beverages.
From a report by the Central Bank of Nicaragua:
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed a decrease of 0.08 percent (0.39% in July 2017), mainly explained by the behavior of prices in some goods and services in the divisions of Food and non-alcoholic beverages (-1.04% ); and Communications (-0.02%); which together contributed 0.364 percentage points to the observed variation.In contrast, the Transportation division showed an increase of 1.45 percent (0.112pp).
In May and June, the Consumer Price Index recorded year-on-year variations of 5.2% and 5.6%, exceeding the average inflation rate of 4.9% reported in the first four months of the year.
Ever since the political and social crisis in the country became accentuated, the general price indicator has shown a clear upward trend, which is reflected in the behavior of the inflationary rhythm of the last two months.