January's inflation at 2%

January's inflation at 2%

JAKARTA (JP): The chairman of the Central Bureau of Statistics, Sugito Suwito, reported on Monday that January's inflation rate might have reached 2 percent due to high food prices last month.

Sugito said the actual inflation figure for January is now being computed. He added, however, that the sharp increase in the prices of foodstuffs, such as vegetables and chilies, would nudge up the inflation rate.

The inflation rate in January last year, which was fueled by a sharp increase in the price of housing materials, reached 1.16 percent. The highest monthly inflation rate last year was checked at 1.69 percent in March.

Sugito said he was optimistic that the annual inflation rate could be lowered to 8 percent this year from 8.64 percent last year, even if January's inflation rate is high.(hen)