KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — Malaysia’s services producer price index (SPPI) rose by 0.6 per cent on-year in the first quarter (Q1)of 2025 compared to 0.5 per cent on-year in Q4 2024, said the Statistics Department.
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the arts, entertainment and recreation index grew by 6.6 per cent from 6.1 per cent, driven by other amusement and recreation activities (2.1 per cent).
“The accommodation and food and beverage service activities index continued to increase by 3.6 per cent (Q4 2024: 3.1 per cent), supported by increases in restaurants and mobile food service activities (4 per cent) and beverage service activities (3.1 per cent) indices.
“Other indices also recorded increases, (namely) education (1.2 per cent), health (0.6 per cent), professional (0.5 per cent) and real estate activities (0.1 per cent),” he said in a statement today.
Uzir noted that the transportation index recorded a decline of 3.1 per cent, compared to -2.4 per cent in Q4 2024, mainly due to the passenger air transport index by -12.4 per cent.
“The information and communication index recorded a decrease by 0.2 per cent, influenced by a decline in the wireless telecommunications activities of -0.1 per cent,” he noted.
Furthermore, on a quarter-on-quarter basis, he said SPPI rose by 0.3 per cent, maintaining the same rate as in the previous quarter.
Uzir said the increase was primarily driven by the accommodation and food and beverage service activities index, which rose by 1 per cent, followed by education and arts, entertainment and recreation indices, each rising by 0.7 per cent.
“Other indices that showed an increase were real estate activities (0.4 per cent), health (0.3 per cent), professional (0.2 per cent) and transportation (0.1 per cent).
“The information and communication index was unchanged,” he added.
— Bernama
