Brunei Inflation Rate Stalls in July

Brunei’s annual inflation rate stalled in July 2026, following a more than two-year high of 0.3% in the previous month. Price growth eased for food and non-alcoholic beverages (1.2% vs 1.5% in June) and furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance (0.3% vs 0.4%). In addition, costs slipped for clothing and footwear (-3.8% vs 3.5%), while deflation deepened for communication (-3.5% vs -0.2%) and miscellaneous goods and services (-1.0% vs -0.6%). On the other hand, transport costs rebounded (0.2% vs -0.2%), and inflation edged higher for restaurants and hotels (0.6% vs 0.5%) and recreation and culture (0.7% vs 0.4%). Prices remained steady for housing and utilities (0.0%), health (0.6%), and education (0.3%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices fell 0.2%, reversing a 0.2% increase in June.

Brunei’s annual inflation rose to 0.3% in June 2026 from 0.1% in each of the previous two months, marking the highest reading since December 2023. The latest result also marked the third consecutive month of rising consumer prices, with upward pressure broadening across several categories, including food and non-alcoholic beverages (1.5% vs 1.2% in May), clothing and footwear (3.5% vs -1.5%), furnishings and household maintenance (0.4% vs 0.2%), health (0.6% vs 0.4%), education (0.3% vs 0.3%), restaurants and hotels (0.5% vs 0.4%), recreation and culture (0.4% vs -1.0%). In the meantime, housing and utilities were almost flat (0.03% vs 0.2%), while prices fell further for communication (-0.2% vs -3.4%) and miscellaneous goods and services (-0.6% vs -0.6%). Also, transport cost fell 0.2%, shifting from a 0.4% gain in May. On a monthly basis, the CPI rose 0.2%, swinging from a 0.1% fall in May.

Brunei’s consumer prices inched up 0.1% year-on-year in May 2026, matching April’s pace and marking the second consecutive month of inflation. Prices continued to rise for food and non-alcoholic beverages (1.2% vs 0.8% in April), furnishings and household maintenance (0.2% vs 0.8%), health (0.4% vs 0.4%), transport (0.4% vs 0.1%), and restaurants and hotels (0.4% vs 0.5%). Also, cost of housing and utilities increased 0.2%, swinging from a 0.4% increase in April. Meanwhile, education inflation was stable (at 0.3%). In contrast, several categories continued to record declines, including communication (-3.4% vs -3.4%), recreation and culture (-1.0% vs -1.2%), and miscellaneous goods and services (-0.6% vs -0.5%). Prices of clothing and footwear fell 1.5%, reversing April's 3.2% increase. On a monthly basis, the CPI edged down 0.1%, following a 0.5% rise in April.