Figures from the National Statistical Office (NSO) show that Malawi’s headline inflation went up in August, at 0.2 percentage points, translating to 9.5%.

On the other hand, maize prices have been spiking in the past three months, currently trading between K8,500 and K13,000 per 50 kilogram bag in some parts of the country. On the positive side, non-food inflation was seen at 5.4% in August from 5.5% in July 2019.

Last week, Portfolio and investment management firm, Nico Asset Managers Limited recently warned that expected maize price increases during the lean season will pile pressure on headline inflation and raise the cost of investment.