Malaysian consumer prices showed signs of further easing in October, rising 3.3 percent from a year earlier, the government said today.

Inflation rose to a six-year high of 3.7 percent in August and 3.4 percent in September.

For the 10 months to October, inflation rose 2.9 percent over the same period last year, with increases in all the main indices, except for clothing and footwear, which declined 1.1 percent.

During the period, beverages and tobacco rose 11.5 percent year-on-year, food up 3.6 percent and transport and communication added 4.2 percent, the statistics department said.

The government in September projected inflation at 2.8 percent for 2005 against 1.4 percent in 2004.

Other increases were: miscellaneous goods and services at 2.3 percent, medical care and health expenses at 1.6 percent, furniture, furnishings and household equipment at 1.7 percent.

The department added that food, gross rent, fuel and power, as well as transport and communication collectively accounted for 78.6 percent of the overall increase during the 10 months.