CPI Report
The AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS has recently released the Consumer Price Index data for the March 2009 quarter. Following is a summary of the findings.
AT the ‘All Groups’ level, the CPI rose in all capital cities this quarter, with the exception of Perth which fell 0.1% and Adelaide which recorded zero percentage change. Among the cities recording a positive movement, Canberra registered the highest increase with a rise of 0.4%, while all other cities were in the range of 0.1% to 0.2%.
Over the twelve months to March quarter 2009, the ‘All Groups’ CPI rose in all capital cities with the increases ranging from 2.1% in Melbourne to 3.1% in Brisbane.
The table below covers the changes in index numbers over the last four quarters.
The table below covers the changes in index numbers over the last four years.
ANALYSIS OF CPI CHANGES
Movements in indexes from one period to another can be expressed either as changes in index points or as percentage changes. The following example illustrates the method of calculating changes in index points and percentage changes between any two periods:
Melbourne CPI. Index numbers:
March Quarter 2009 163.9
less December Quarter 2008 163.5
Change in index points 0.4
Percentage change 0.4/163.5 X 100 = 0.2%
Percentage changes are calculated to illustrate three different kinds of
movements in index numbers:
- movements between consecutive financial years (where the index numbers for financial years are simple averages of the quarterly index numbers)
- movements between corresponding quarters of consecutive years
- movements between consecutive quarters.
Further information is available fr om the ABS website in publications 6401.0 Consumer Price Index, Australia, Mar
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