Bruce MacKinnon's cartoon for The Chronicle Herald

Justicia Shipena Residents in the Khomas region paid the highest price for white bread flour in June 2025, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) bulletin released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA). A 2.5kg bag of white flour costs N$53.21 in Khomas, compared to N$51.99 in southern and eastern regions and N$49.66 in the north. For white cake flour (2.5 kg), the highest price was N$59.19 in the southern and Eastern regions followed by Khomas at N$57.55, while the north recorded the lowest price at N$52.64. This comes as the country’s annual inflation rate stood at 3.7% in June 2025, lower than the 4.6% recorded in June 2024. Monthly inflation was unchanged 0.0%, down from 0.2% in May. NSA statistician general and CEO Alex Shimuafeni said Zone 1, which includes Kavango East, Kavango West, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, and Zambezi, recorded the highest annual inflation at 3.9%.  Zone 3,  which include //Kharas, Erongo, Hardap, and Omaheke, followed at 3.7%, While Zone 2, covering Khomas, had the lowest rate at 3.3%. In Zone 1, inflation dropped from 4.8% in June 2024 to 3.9% June  this year.  This drop was mainly due to falling prices in transport (from 8.4% to -0.9%), hotels and restaurants (4.1% to 2.4%), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (7.5% to 5.9%), and household furnishings (4.5% to 3.2%).  According to NSA, the monthly inflation stood at 0.2%. Zone 2 saw its annual inflation decline from 4.8% to 3.3%.  This was driven by lower prices in transport (from 8.0% to -2.9%), recreation and culture (8.5% to 0.3%), hotels and restaurants (10.7% to 6.3%), and health services (4.4% to 1.0%).  The monthly inflation rate was -0.1%. Zone 3’s inflation rate dropped slightly from 4.1% to 3.7%.  The main decreases were in transport (from 8.5% to -3.4%) and household furnishings (3.4% to 1.0%). Monthly inflation in Zone 3 was also -0.1%. Shimuafeni said core inflation, which excludes food and energy, stood at 4.2%  higher than the overall inflation rate “The difference between core and headline inflation helps us better understand whether price changes are due to temporary shocks or broader economic shifts,” Shimuafeni said. He added that the main  contributors to the 3.7% annual inflation were food and non-alcoholic beverages, which added 1.3 percentage points.  Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, as well as housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, each added 1.0 percentage point.

The Consumer Price Index rose 2.4 percent in May, from a year ago, a reading that reflects only the initial impact of President Trump’s tariffs.

A critical shift may be taking shape.

Canada’s consumer price index rose 2.9 per cent year-over-year in January, Statistics Canada reported Tuesday morning, following a 3.4 per cent gain in December.

Get the latest CPI report today 2025 with Consumer Price Index, inflation trends, market impact, and US economy insights.

Japan’s inflation-adjusted real wages fell 1.2% year-on-year in February, marking the second consecutive monthly decline. The drop follows a revised 2.8% fall in January and highlights the continued pressure on household purchasing power from elevated inflation. The consumer inflation rate used to calculate real wages — which includes fresh food but excludes rent — rose 4.3% in February, only slightly easing from January’s 4.7%. Despite nominal income growth, this persistent inflation eroded wage gains. Total cash earnings, or nominal wages, rose 3.1% year-on-year in February, accelerating from a revised 1.8% increase in January. The figure was supported by a surge in special payments, such as bonuses, which jumped 77.4% compared to the previous year. Overtime pay, often seen as an indicator of business activity, climbed 2.2% in February, up from January’s revised 1.5%. Regular pay, however, rose at a slower pace of 1.6%, down from 2.1% in the previous month. Looking ahead, wage data may strengthen from April onwards, as the effects of this year’s spring wage negotiations take hold. According to Rengo, Japan’s largest trade union federation, companies have agreed to an average pay hike of 5.4% in 2025 — the biggest increase in over three decades. This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at www.forexlive.com.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 — Malaysia’s inflation increased by 1.2 per cent to 134.7 in July 2025 from 133.1 in the same month last year, according to the Department of Statistics...

While price growth has slowed, consumers now report significant levels of uncertainty and concerns about higher prices, thanks to tariffs.

President Donald Trump’s trade war is affecting...

U.S. Inflation Climbs to 2.7% in June as Trump Tariffs Push Prices Higher Highest Reading Since February WASHINGTON — U.S.

Consumers in zone three, which covers the //Kharas, Erongo, Hardap and Omaheke regions, paid the highest price for beef stew at N$111.12 per kg. This was said by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) in its Namibia Consumer Price Index (NCPI) bulletin for May. This is followed by the Kavango East, Kavango West, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa and Zambezi regions in zone one at N$110.49, with Khomas consumers in zone two paying the lowest price of N$101.59. However, consumers in zone two paid the highest price for tinned pilchards in tomatoes (400g) at N$36.32, followed by zone three at N$34.70, while the lowest price of N$32.32 was paid by consumers in zone one. According to NSA chief executive Alex Shimuafeni, these prices contributed to the headline inflation rate rising 3.5% for the 12 months ending May 2025, after rising 4.9% over the 12 months ending May 2024. “The price level increased by 0.2% month on month, similar to the previous month’s rate,” he says. For the 12 months ending May 2025, zone three recorded the highest inflation rate of 4%, higher than the headline inflation rate. Zone one recorded an annual inflation rate of 3.5%, in line with the headline inflation rate, while zone two recorded 3.1%, lower than the headline inflation rate, Shimuafeni adds. NSA says the major contributors to the 3.5% annual inflation rate for May 2025 were food and non-alcoholic beverages, contributing 1.2 percentage points; followed by housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, contributing 0.9 percentage points, while alcoholic beverages and tobacco contributed 0.8 percentage points. “On a monthly basis, the price levels for the period under review remained constant at 0.2%, reflecting the same rate of change witnessed a month earlier,” notes the bulletin. The highest change in the annual inflation rate was witnessed with food and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as alcoholic beverages and tobacco, each recording 5.8%; followed by hotels, cafés and restaurants at 5.7%; education at 4.3% and recreation and culture with 4.2%. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels accounted for 28.4% of the consumer basket with the annual inflation rate for this category recording an increase of 3.6% in May 2025 compared to 3.7% in May 2024. “On a monthly basis, this category registered a deflation of 0.4% in May 2025, after rising 0.3% the previous month,” says the NSA. The bulletin says food and non-alcoholic beverages, which accounts for 16.5% of the NCPI basket, recorded an annual inflation rate of 5.8% in May 2025, after witnessing an inflation rate of 4.7% in May 2024. On a monthly basis, the inflation rate for this division rose to 0.7%, compared to a no change (0.0%) recorded in the previous month. The food sub-category accounted for 14.8% of the consumer basket with bread, and cereals having the highest weight of 4.8%, followed by meat at 3.5%; sugar, jam, honey, syrups, chocolate and confectionery at 1.4% while vegetables and milk, cheese and eggs contributed 1.2% each. According to the bulletin, transport which, accounted for 14.3% of the consumer basket, registered a deflation rate of 1.3% during May 2025, compared to a 7.7% increase in the same month of the preceding year. On a monthly basis, the inflation rate for this category stood at 0.1% in May 2025, compared to 0.9% decrease a month ago, says the bulletin. – email: [email protected] The post //Kharas, Hardap, Erongo dig deeper for beef stew appeared first on The Namibian.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -South Africa’s headline consumer inflation rose to 3.0% year on year in June from 2.8% in May, statistics agency data showed on Wednesday. Economists polled by Reuters had predicted inflation would increase to 3.0% in annual terms, at the bottom of the central bank’s 3% to 6% target range. The South African Reserve Bank holds another rate-setting meeting next week. In month-on-month terms inflation was at 0.3% in June, compared with 0.2% in May, Statistics South Africa said. With valuations skyrocketing in 2024, many investors are uneasy putting more money into stocks. Unsure where to invest next? Get access to our proven portfolios and discover high-potential opportunities. In 2024 alone, ProPicks AI identified 2 stocks that surged over 150%, 4 additional stocks that leaped over 30%, and 3 more that climbed over 25%. That's an impressive track record. With portfolios tailored for Dow stocks, S&P stocks, Tech stocks, and Mid Cap stocks, you can explore various wealth-building strategies.

Justicia Shipena  Consumers in Kavango East, Kavango West, Kunene, and several northern regions paid the highest for rooibos tea in April. In April a 100g pack cost N$37.76, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA)’s latest consumer price index bulletin.  Meanwhile, for consumers in the Khomas region, sunflower oil was most expensive at N$33.43. The report by the NSA also says meat prices in April 2025 surged by 7.1%, up from 4.9 % in April 2024.  The rise was driven by key meat products such as biltong, which jumped from -8.4% to 8.7 %.  Minced meat rose from -2.5 percent to 11.3 per percent, while mutton and lamb climbed from -0.3 per cent to 7.3 per percent. NSA’s latest consumer price index bulletin also shows sausage prices increased from 0.5 per percent to 7.8 per percent. This comes as the country’s annual inflation rate stood at 3.6 per percent in April 2025, down from 4.8 per percent in April 2024.  On a monthly basis, inflation rose by 0.2 per percent in April, slower than the 0.5 per percent recorded in March. NSA statistician general and CEO Alex Shimuafeni said fruit prices also went up by 16.9%, a sharp rise from 10.9% in April last year. “This was primarily due to substantial price jumps in watermelons (up from -1.6% to 34.8%), citrus fruits from 15.6% to 30.9%, and avocados (from 9.9% to 16.8%),” he said.  Shimuafeni added that bread and cereal prices also went up, rising to 5.2% from -0.5% in 2024. He said prices for staple items such as maize meal, bread, and pasta were higher in April 2025. Regions with the highest inflation rate were //Kharas, Erongo, Hardap, and Omaheke at 4.1%. Kavango East, Kavango West, Kunene, and several northern regions followed at 3.7%, with Khomas at 3.2%.