Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased from 143.85 points in December 2013 to 145.40 points in January 2014. The overall rate of inflation rose from 7.15 per cent to 7.21 per cent during the same period. The Kenyan shilling appreciated against the US dollar, the Euro, the Japanese Yen, the South African Rand, and the Tanzanian shilling exchanging at an average of KSh 86.2143, KSh 117.4950, KSh 82.9228, KSh 7.9573, and KSh 18.6773, while depreciating against the Sterling Pound, and the Ugandan shilling as at the end of January 2014. The average yield rate for the 91-day Treasury bills, which is a benchmark for the general trend of interest rates, declined from 9.53 per cent in December 2013 to 9.26 in January 2014. The inter-bank rates increased from 9.12 per cent to 10.65 per cent during the period. The Nairobi Securities Exchange share index (NSE 20) decreased from 4,927 points in December 2013 to 4,856 points in January 2014, while the total number of shares traded expanded from 466 million to 639 million shares during the same period. The total value of NSE shares traded increased from KSh 11.3 billion to KSh 16.0 billion. Broad money supply (M3), a key indicator for monetary policy formulation, increased from KSh 1,957.5 billion in December 2013 to 1,982.6 billion in January 2014. Money and Quasi-money (M2) expanded from KSh 1,632.8 billion to KSh 1,655.5 billion over the same period. Gross Foreign Exchange Reserves increased from KSh 739.9.0 billion in December to KSh 741.2 billion in January 2014. Net Foreign Exchange Reserves rose to KSh 391.5 billion over the same period.
A). AGRICULTURE
The quantity of coffee auctioned at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange increased from 1,882 MT in November 2013 to 2,133 MT in December 2013 while its average auction price increased from KSh 255.55 per kilogram to KSh 274.39 per kilogram in the same period. The quantity of processed tea went up from 35,463 MT in November 2013 to 41,719 MT in December 2013 while its average auction price increased from KSh 186.71 per kilogram to KSh 211.62 per kilogram over the same period.
Average price for dry maize fell from KSh 38.12 per kilogram in November 2013 to KSh 36.88 per kilogram in December 2013 while the average price for dry beans averaged KSh 77.87 per Kilogram in December 2013.
B). INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Quantity of coffee exported decreased from 3,808.2 MT in November 2013 to 2,675.0 MT in December 2013 while its value also dropped from KSh 1,153.1 million to KSh 862.3 million over the same period. The quantity of tea exported decreased from 40,054.4 MT in November 2013 to 38,740.7 MT in December 2013. The value of value increased from KSh 7,834.3 million to KSh 7,991.4 million during the same period. The quantity of horticultural exports declined from 17, 689.28 metric Tonnes in November to 16,165.40 metric Tonnes in December, 2013 while the value dropped from KSh 7,290.41 million to KSh 7,182.38 in the same period.
Volume of trade declined from KSh 160.3 billion in November 2013 to KSh 159.3 billion in December 2013. The total value of exports decreased from 44,301.22 million to 40,308.27 million during the same period. Value of imports rose to KSh 118,982.26 million in December 2013. Domestic exports by Broad Economic Category (BEC) indicated that food and beverages category was the main export category in December 2013 and accounted for 41.58 per cent, while the value of Non-food industrial supplies and Consumer goods not elsewhere specified registered 26.69 and 28.83 per cent shares, respectively. Imports by Broad Economic Category (BEC) indicate that industrial supplies (non-food) was the main import category in November 2013 with a share of 33.5 per cent, while the values of fuel and lubricants, machinery & other capital equipment and transport equipment registered shares of 23.10, 16.14 and 11.54 per cent respectively. Food and beverage recorded a share of 6.69 per cent while Consumer goods not elsewhere specified recorded a share of 7.78 per cent.
C). ENERGY
Total electricity generation increased from 715.79 million KWh in December 2013 to 757.28 million KWh in January 2014. Domestic consumption of electricity rose from 529.76 million KWh in December 2013 to 611.26 million KWh in January 2014. The total consumption of petroleum products dropped to 289.58 thousand MT in January 2014 from 305.63 thousand MT realized in December 2013. Average national domestic oil prices of motor gasoline premium rose to retail at an average of KSh 111.41 per litre in January 2014 from KSh 110.11 per litre retailed in December 2013. The price of light diesel oil went up to retail at KSh 105.65 in January 2014 from KSh 105.44 in December 2013. The average price for Kerosene increased to retail at KSh 85.98 from KSh 83.99 during the same period. The price of a 13-Kg cylinder of gas averaged KSh 2,995.22. In Nairobi County, average retail prices for motor gasoline increased from the retail price of KSh 109.28 per litre in December 2013 to retail at KSh 110.59 per litre in January 2014 while diesel oil price rose to KSh 104.73 in the same period. In the international market, the price of Murban crude oil declined from US Dollars 113.85 per barrel in December 2013 to US Dollars 109.75 per barrel in January 2014.
D). MANUFACTURING, BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION
Domestic production of sugar decreased from 54,752 MT in November 2013 to 53,994 MT in December 2013. The production of new assembled vehicles decreased from 643 vehicles in November 2013 to 543 vehicles in December 2013. The production of galvanized sheets rose from 25,134 MT in October 2013 to 25,250 MT in November 2013. The quantity of cement produced fell from 410,188 MT in November 2013 to 400,381MT in December 2013. Consumption of cement dropped from 338,088 MT recorded in November 2013 to 290,054 MT in December 2013. Milk deliveries to the formal sector increased from 45.3 million litres in November 2013 to 46.6 million litres in December 2013.
E). TOURISM AND TRANSPORT
The total number of visitors arriving through Jomo Kenyatta (JKIA) and Moi International Airports increased from 97,775 persons in June 2013 to 123,812 persons in July 2013.The number of passengers who embarked at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) declined from 178,586 persons in November 2013 to 178,418 persons in December 2013 while passengers who landed decreased from 178,469 persons to 178,150 persons in the same period. The total number of vehicles registered declined from 15,995 vehicles in November 2013 to 12,398 vehicles in December 2013. Station Wagon category accounted for 40.1 per cent of the total motor vehicles registered in December 2013.