Headline inflation was constant at 2.2 percent between October and November 2020, remaining below the lower bound of the Bank’s medium-term objective range of 3 – 6 percent, but slightly higher than the 2.1 percent in November 2019. According to Statistics Botswana, the constant inflation between October and November 2020 reflects relatively stable prices for most of the categories of goods and services, as well as offsetting movements in the annual price changes for a few other commodity groups. Inflation remained stable for: Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (6.6 percent); Education (4.7 percent); Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages (4.3 percent); Restaurants and Hotels (3 percent); Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance (2.1 percent); Health (1.5 percent); Communication (0.9 percent); and Miscellaneous Goods and Services (0.9 percent). Inflation decreased for: Clothing and Footwear (from 2.7 to 2.6 percent); and Transport (from -2.5 to -2.6 percent). However, the downward pressure on inflation was partly offset by inflation increasing with respect to: Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels (from 6.6 to 6.8 percent); and Recreation and Culture (from 0.2 to 0.5 percent).
Similarly, the 16 percent trimmed mean inflation and inflation excluding administered prices remained unchanged at 2.2 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively, in the same period.