March’s composite consumer price index (CPI) rose by just 0.04 percent year-on-year and 0.08 percent month-on-month, according to the latest figures from the Statistics and Census Service (known by its Portuguese initials DSEC).
In comparison with the same month last year, the biggest rise was seen in the miscellaneous goods and services index (1.99 percent), a category including personal care products, insurance, jewellery, clocks and watches. The food and non-alcoholic beverages index grew 0.48 percent on account of higher charges for eating out and takeaway. Rising residential rental costs saw the housing and fuels index go up by 0.32 percent.
Larger year-on-year decreases were experienced by the information and communications, transport, and clothing and footwear indices, which fell by 2.92 percent, 2,77 percent and 2.62 percent respectively.
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Compared with February this year, March’s CPI was “dragged down by seasonal sales of adults’ clothing and lower airfares,” DSEC said. Meanwhile, “the drop in prices of fruits, fresh fish, seafood and vegetables tempered the rise in charges for eating out and takeaway.”
For the 12 months ending March 2025, the average CPI grew by 0.48 percent when compared with the previous period. The price indices of education (2.52 percent), miscellaneous goods and services (2.52 percent) and health (1.78 percent) saw notable increases, while the transport index fell by 3.15 percent.
For the first quarter of 2025, the average CPI grew by 0.15 percent year-on-year.
