Mining index decreased to -11.5 per cent (February 2023: -6.5 per cent) with extraction of crude petroleum index dropped by - 21.2 per cent in March 2023. Whereas for the utility sector, water supply, electricity and gas supply indices edged up by 3.3 per cent and 1.4 per cent, respectively. On a monthly basis, he noted PPI local production inched up 0.3 per cent in March 2023 compared to 0.2 per cent drop in the previous month. Conversely, the mining sector shrank by 0.6 per cent, affected by the decrease of both extraction of natural gas (-1.0 per cent) and extraction of crude petroleum (-0.5 per cent) indices, he said. Similar to the previous month, the water supply index inched down by 0.3 per cent, he said.

Source: The Star April 28, 2023 00:45 UTC