Tunisia’s PPI inflation stood at a well anchored 1.2% y/y in April, down from 2.0% y/y in February and 3.0% y/y in January 2016, amid low oil and raw material prices, statistics office data showed.
The PPI inflation in Tunisia remains well below the national CPI inflation that accelerated to a five-month high of 3.6% y/y in May from 3.4% annual expansion the preceding month, on increasing food prices. In January-May 2016, the CPI index grew 3.4% y/y, remaining well in single digits and the c-bank’s comfort zone.
Tunisia’s PPI inflation averaged 1.8% y/y in January-April.
In monthly terms, the PPI grew also a mild 0.3% in April.
The PPI in the mining sector grew 0.6% y/y in April but fell 0.2% m/m amid renewed production of phosphates after a period of strikes.
Higher phosphates output coupled with falling related production prices are also boosting Tunisia’s value-added exports, helping improve its foreign trade parameters.
Manufacturing producer prices (84.8% of the index) increased 1.3% y/y in April on higher food output costs (up1.2% y/y) and textiles (up 3.5% y/y) that offset falling costs of chemicals (down 0.5% y/y) and oil refining (down 0.5% y/y).
Production costs of utilities and gas recorded zero y/y growth in April.
Related Articles
Egypt brings new gas well online with 10mn cubic feet/day output
Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources is finalising procedures to bring a new natural gas well, North El-Basant-1, into production with an expected output of around 10mn cubic feet ... more
Tunisia kicks off stalled expansion of solar projects with 1.3GW capacity push
Tunisia is finally accelerating the deployment of its large-scale photovoltaic (PV) sector after years of slow progress, with construction now underway across multiple major projects, PV-Magazine ... more
Shell and Petronas seek 20% gas price increase for Egypt’s West Delta marine phase
UK energy major Shell (LON:SHEL) and Malaysia's national oil and gas company Petronas have asked the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) to raise the gas price for the upcoming Phase 12 ... more