Inflation is expected to moderate, core inflation might elevate.

Restaurants, hotels, food and beverages main contributors of increase.

Statistics Department says food inflation increased by 7.3pct.

Statistics Department says meat showed the sharpest increase.

Inflation driven by increase in food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Rise in utility costs expected due to expiration of electricity bill subsidies.

The Covid-19 pandemic has also affected the price of consumer goods in the past year.

Fastest since March 2017 when index grew 5.1pct.

The decrease is due to the decline in transport as well as housing, water, electricity, and gas, among others.

Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid says he does not think it is an outright deflation.

Price levels in Malaysia have fallen since the Covid-19 outbreak and the resulting economic crisis.

The Malaysian consumer price deflation recorded at -2.9 year-on-year (yoy) in April was far lower than market forecast of -1.5 percent yoy.

Consumer price index indicate that small onions, garlic among items which recorded most price increases.

'On a monthly basis, the CPI remains unchanged at 121.8 from August 2019.'