1.      The Producer Price Index, which stood at 176.8 in September 2008 decreased by 0.4% to reach 176.2 in December 2008.  The index increased by the rate of 1.4% for the month of October and receded by 1.2% and 0.4% in November and December respectively.

2.  The 1.4% increase in the overall index in October was mainly due to increases in the sub-indices of “Manufacture of food products, beverages and tobacco” (+1.2%), “Manufacture of other non-mineral products” (+7.1%) and “Manufacture of rubber and plastic products” (+2.0%). The increase in the sub-index of “Food products, beverages and tobacco”, which accounts for nearly 50% of the overall weight, was mainly the effect of price increases in “Manufacture of grain mill products” (+8.6%), “Manufacture of vegetable and animal oils and fats” (+0.2%) and “Processing and preservation of fish and fish products” (+0.4%).

3.  In November, the overall index the overall index fell by 1.2% due to decreases in the sub-indices of “Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products” (-4.0%), “Manufacture of fabricated metal products” (-4.5%) and “Manufacture of basic metals” (-10.8%).

4.  The index registered a decrease of 0.4% in December mainly due to decreases in the “Manufacture of food products, beverages and tobacco” (-0.2%), “Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products” (-0.3%) and “Manufacture of basic metals” (-4.9%).

5. The overall index grew by 2.1% in the fourth quarter of 2008 compared to the previous quarter, mainly due to increases in the sub-indices of “Manufacture of food products, beverages and tobacco” (+3.6%), “Manufacture chemical and chemical products” (+1.0%) and “Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products” (+4.1%).

6.  Compared to the corresponding quarter of 2007, the overall index for the fourth quarter of 2008 went up by 16.0%.  This was largely attributable to increases in the sub-indices of “Manufacture of food products, beverages and tobacco” (+22.0%), “Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products” (+3.7%), “Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products” (+24.7%), “Publishing, printing and reproduction of recorded media” (+4.7%),”Manufacture of fabricated metal products” (+11.0%) and “Manufacture of basic metals” (+25.4%)

7.  Compared to the preceding year, the overall index for the sector in 2008 grew by 15.9% and that of the sub-group “Manufacture of food products beverages and tobacco” by 21.8%.