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.
Iraq is in the final stages of negotiating its first-ever purchase of LNG supplies as power outages hamper the Middle East country, Bloomberg reported on June 26. Dallas-headquartered Excelerate ... more
Sudan’s Sovereign Council head, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, issued a constitutional decree on May 19 appointing Kamil al-Tayeb Idris as the new prime minister, Al Sharq Al Awsat reported. He also ... more
Egypt's state-owned gas company EGAS has received several offers to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments urgently needed for summer, Al Sharq reported on May 18, citing an unnamed government ... more