JAKARTA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia posted an inflation of 0.03 percent in August, a decrease from 0.08 percent in July, the Central Agency of Statistics (BPS) said on Wednesday.
BPS' Deputy for Statistics of Distribution and Services Setianto said that August's inflation was due to the momentum of the new academic year, from elementary to college levels.
"So there is an increase in spending on the education sector by 1.20 percent," Setianto said in a virtual press conference.
The inflation in August was also supported by price increases in a number of other expenditures, such as those on the health group by 0.32 percent, the group of procurement of foods and beverages, and restaurants by 0.10 percent, as well as the personal care and other services group by 0.15 percent.
The inflation was also driven by a decrease in the index of a number of expenditures such as in the group of foods, beverages and tobacco by 0.32 percent, the clothing and footwear group by 0.07 percent, the transportation group by 0.05 percent, and the recreation, sports, and culture group by 0.07 percent.
Indonesia's annual inflation was recorded at 1.59 percent and year-to-date inflation was booked at 0.84 percent. Enditem
