Taiwan snapped a deflationary streak last month with its rise in prices for the first time in half a year, according to official data released yesterday.
The inflation rate was up 0.01 percent year-on-year last month, the first rise since last June, largely due to rising fruit prices, the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said.
The consumer price index (CPI) in December was down 0.06 percent year-on-year and down 0.54 percent seasonally adjusted month-on-month, it said.
"The January CPI marked a first year-on-year growth following a string of year-on-year declines for seven months," Tsuei Chou-ying, a DGBAS section chief said.
She attributed the CPI increase to rising fruit prices, Lunar New Year-related extra payments by parents to baby-sitters, and higher charges by beauty salons and firmer fuel prices.
Last month's wholesale price index rose 2.39 percent from a year earlier.
Tsuei said the agency retained its previous projection for mild inflation this year and any revisions will be made at a quarterly meeting on Feb. 20.
In November the agency projected a 0.38 percent increase in this year's CPI.
The impact of the regional bird flu outbreak has yet to be seen on prices this month.
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