Botswana’s annual inflation rate for April rises

 GABORONE, May 17 -- Botswana's annual inflation rate for April surged 0.2 of a percentage point compared to the March rate of 2.9 percent.
   Statistics Botswana (StatsBots), the country's data authority, said on Wednesday that the annual inflation rate for April was 3.1 percent; the largest contribution to the April 2024 annual inflation rate came from miscellaneous goods and services, transport and food and non-alcoholic beverages.
   "Three group indices recorded changes of at least 1.0 percent between March and April 2024, specifically miscellaneous goods and services, transport and alcoholic beverages and tobacco," said Acting Statistician General Lucky Mokgatlhe.
   StatsBots highlighted that the miscellaneous goods and services group index registered an increase of 5.8 percent, from 136.2 in March to 144.1 in April 2024.
   "The increase was mainly owed to a rise in the constituent section index of insurance and taxes, licenses, and fees," said Mokgatlhe.
   Meanwhile, StatsBots also highlighted that the transport group index registered an increase of 2.4 percent, from 149.9 in March to 153.4 in April 2024.
   On the alcoholic beverages and tobacco group index, StatsBots indicated that it rose by 1.2 percent, from 133.2 in March 2024 to 134.8 in April 2024 and the increase was attributable to the rise in the constituent section index of alcoholic beverages.