The High Commission for Planning (HCP) has just released the latest figures on the producer price index for the industrial, energy, and mining sectors for January 2025. Prices in the manufacturing industry, excluding petroleum refining, saw a slight increase of 0.1% compared to December 2024.
This rise is largely driven by price increases across several key sectors. Electrical equipment manufacturing recorded a 0.4% uptick, metallurgy saw a 0.5% rise, and the clothing industry experienced a 0.3% increase. Additionally, the chemical industry, automobile sector, and paper and cardboard manufacturing all posted a 0.2% growth. However, not all industries followed this upward trend. The food industry and rubber and plastic manufacturing saw a notable decline of 0.6%, while the leather and footwear sector experienced an even steeper drop of 0.9%.
Meanwhile, prices remained unchanged in the extractive industries, as well as in electricity and water production and distribution. Despite this apparent stability, these sectors tend to be more resistant to short-term fluctuations, meaning underlying pressures could still be at play.
