Fiji Inflation Rate Quickens from 4-Month Low

The annual inflation rate in Fiji increased to 1.3% in December 2024 from November's four-month low of 0.8%.

This was driven by a rise in food prices to 1.4% from a near four-year low of 1.2% the previous month.

Prices also accelerated for alcoholic beverages and tobacco (9.2% vs 7.9% in November) and household equipment & routine maintenance (0.3% vs 0.1%).

Meanwhile, education costs grew by 0.4%, maintaining the same pace for the tenth consecutive month.

At the same time, prices of miscellaneous goods and services eased (2.3% vs 3.4%) and those of restaurants and hotels (4.8% vs 5.2%) reached their lowest levels since January 2023.

Additionally, prices for transport (-5.2% vs -7.3%), housing (-1.8% vs -2.3%), and recreation and culture (-0.9% vs -1.0%) all dropped at a slower pace.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices edged down 0.1% in December, marking the second straight month of decline following a 1.1% fall in November.