Headline inflation as measured by the year-on-year (Y-o-Y) change in the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI, 2013=100) decreased to 5.2 per cent in November 2020 from 5.5 per cent in October 2020. This was due to the statistical effect of the high base prevailed in November 2019. Meanwhile, Food inflation (Y-o-Y) decreased to 9.4 per cent in November 2020 from 10.6 per cent in October 2020, whereas Non-food inflation (Y-o-Y) increased to 1.7 per cent in November 2020 from 1.5 per cent in October 2020.
The change in the NCPI measured on an annual average basis increased marginally to 6.3 per cent in November 2020 from 6.2 per cent in October 2020.
Monthly change of NCPI recorded at 0.47 per cent in November 2020 mainly due to increases observed in prices of items in both Food and Non-food categories. Moreover, monthly changes of Food and Non-food categories recorded at 0.34 per cent and 0.13 per cent, respectively in November 2020. Accordingly, within the Food category, increases were observed mainly in the prices of rice, big onion, coconut and potato during November 2020. Moreover, within the non-food category price of Transport (bus fare) sub-category recorded an increase during the month.
Further, both year-on-year core inflation and annual average core inflation remained unchanged at 4.5 per cent and 4.2 per cent, respectively, in November 2020.