Taiwan's CPI Growth Hits 17-Month High of 1.75% in July

Taiwan's consumer price index (CPI) rose 1.75% from a year earlier to hit 17-month high of 104.39 in July, with food prices rising the highest of 4.27%, according to the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting & Statistics (DGBAS).

Among foods, the annual growth of pork prices hit a 71-month high of 17.21% and that of eggs 31-month high of 21.98%. During the month the wholesale price of live pigs peaked at NT$85 per kilogram. Moreover, the annual growth of dining-out expenditures posted at 4.24%, a five-and-half-year high.

In the same month the annual growth of core CPI, excluding prices of fresh food and energy, stood at 1.54%, a 17-month high and that of wholesale price index (WPI) showed the fourth consecutive monthly growth of 0.81%.

DGBAS also predicts the Q3 CPI to rise an annual 1.79%. (JL)