BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Borneo Bulletin/ANN): Brunei Darussalam’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell by 0.4 per cent in August 2025 compared to the same month last year, according to the Department of Economic Planning and Statistics (DEPS), Ministry of Finance and Economy (MoFE).
The decline was attributed to lower prices in both the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages index, as well as the Non-Food index, which each recorded a 0.4 per cent decrease.
Within the food category, vegetable prices fell by 6.2 per cent, particularly shallots, while meat prices declined by 2.4 per cent, mainly due to lower chicken prices.
For the Non-Food index, the decrease was linked to exchange rate changes affecting online media subscription fees, alongside lower motor vehicle insurance costs.
On a month-to-month basis, the CPI in August dipped 0.2 per cent from July 2025. This was driven by a 0.3 per cent fall in the Non-Food index, offset slightly by a 0.1 per cent increase in the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages index.
The Non-Food category decline was influenced by lower prices of miscellaneous goods and services (1.1 per cent) and clothing and footwear (2.7 per cent). Meanwhile, food prices rose modestly due to increases in fish and seafood (0.6 per cent) and fruits (0.7 per cent).
The CPI measures price changes of a fixed basket of goods and services commonly purchased by households. It is compiled monthly based on the Household Expenditure Survey.
The full CPI report for August 2025 is available on the DEPS website. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
