Taiwan's CPI Growth Hit 14-Month High of 1.65% in April

The annual growth of Taiwan's consumer price index (CPI) hit a 14-month high of 1.65% in April due mainly to a 5% surge in food prices, according to the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting & Statistics (DGBAS).

In April the prices of fruits posted an annual growth of nearly 20%, with that of poultry and pork being 16.11% and 15%, respectively, both 68-month highs.

In the same month the core CPI growth, excluding prices of fresh food and energy, was only 0.49%, reflecting moderate price hike as the prices of telecom and consumer electronic products kept dropping.

However, the island's low-income households experienced a higher CPI growth of 1.98% during the month, in contrast to the 1.51% for high-income households, with the former higher than the overall average of 1.65% by 0.33 of a percentage point and the latter lower by 0.14 of a percentage point. (JL)