S'pore Nov CPI up 3.8%

By BERNICE BONG


SINGAPORE - Singapore's inflation climbed to a 22-month high of 3.8 per cent in November, driven by rising costs of transport, housing and food.

Excluding accommodation costs, the consumer price index was 3.7 per cent higher.

The previous year-on-year high was in January 2009 when consumer prices rose 4.3 per cent from a year earlier.

The consumer price index was also 0.3 per cent higher in November over October, latest data from the Department of Statistics showed on Thursday.

Year-on-year changes

Transport rose 9.4 per cent, mainly from higher prices of cars and petrol. Housing cost rose by 4.0 per cent owing to higher accommodation costs and electricity tariffs.

With dearer prepared meals, vegetables, fresh seafood, dairy products and eggs as well as rice & other cereals, food items cost 1.8 per cent more.