DUSHANBE, December 9, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- In Tajikistan, consumer prices rose 30.7 percent in the year to November 1, 2008, according to the CIS Interstate Committee for Statistics.

Tajikistan is followed by Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan, where the consumer price indexes (CPI) for the report period have amounted to 125.8, 125.7 and 121.6 percent respectively.

In Kazakhstan, consumer prices rose 18.7 percent over the report period, Belarus – 15 percent, Russia – 14.2 percent, and Moldova – 13.8 percent.

The lowest percent changes in CPI have been reported in Armenia and Georgia – 9.6 and 10.9 percent respectively.

It is to be noted that figures provided by the CIS Interstate Committee for Statistics differ from official data given by national statistical agencies of the CIS countries.

Thus, the Tajik State Committee for Statistics reported that compared to January-October 2007 the index of consumer prices in Tajikistan for the first ten months of this year had amounted to 113.1 percent (a 13.1 percent rise in the year to November 1, 2008). 

According to national statistical agencies of Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan, the percentage changes in CPI in these countries for report period have been 18, 15.5 and 15.7 percent respectively.

A consumer price index (CPI) is a measure of the average price of consumer goods and services purchased by households.  It is one of several price indexes calculated by national statistical agencies. The percent change in the CPI is a measure of inflation.  The CPI is, along with the population census and the national income and product accounts, one of the most closely watched national economic statistics.