Taiwan Aug CPI up 1.59 pct yr-on-yr vs 0.34 pct fall in July

Sep 5, 2007 - Taiwan's consumer price index in August was up 1.59 per cent year-on-year due to price hikes in farm and fishery products, the government said on Wednesday.

The CPI was also up a seasonally adjusted 0.31 per cent month-on-month at 106.40, the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said.

The August CPI posted the largest year-on-year increase in six months, after a hike of 1.75 per cent in February, it said.

'Because of typhoons in August, vegetable and fruit prices rose by 30 per cent and 10 per cent year-on-year, respectively,' said Wu Chung-ming, a section chief with the DGBAS.

The August core price index, which excludes prices of fresh vegetables/fruits, fishery products and energy, was up 1.59 per cent from a year earlier and up 0.15 per cent from July.

The core price index in August also posted the biggest year-on-year jump in six months, after a 1.66 per cent increase in February, the DGBAS said.

The wholesale price index in August rose 3.57 per cent year-on-year and it was up a seasonally adjusted 0.01 per cent month-on-month.