The variation in the general price level stands at 2.3% on average over the last twelve months, reflecting the persistence of inflationary pressures.
Compared to the same period in 2018, the general price level increased by 2.5% in the first nine months of 2019, after +0.8% a year ago. On average over the last twelve months, the increase is 2.3%, after +0.8% in 2018; reflecting an inflationary rise largely due to the increase in the prices of food products (2.8%), restaurants and hotels (5.3%), clothing and footwear (2.8%) and transport (2.0%). The first nine months were characterized by the soaring prices of certain consumer products such as rice, frozen mackerel, beef and sugar, in connection with dysfunctions in the distribution chain, probably accentuated by speculation by actors who take advantage of the confusion caused by the scarcity of foreign exchange to make substantial profits.
