The Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics says Taiwan's
consumer price index in May exceeded the 2 percent alert level set by the
central bank ... largely due to a spike in crude-oil prices.

CPI rose by 2.2 percent from a year earlier last month, accelerating from a
1.73 percent increase in April. It's the first time Taiwan's inflation has
breached 2 percent since last April.

The DGBAS says communications and transportation prices rose 4 percent from a
year earlier, after fuel prices surged 20 percent, with air ticket prices
gaining 10 percent on higher fuel surcharges.

That's the highest growth in about four and a half years for those segments.

The prices of vegetables, eggs and fishery items gained 9.7 percent, 7.9
percent and 4 percent, respectively, in May.

In aggregate, food prices rose 1.4 percent.

A DGBAS official said air-fuel surcharges will be cut from June 7, which is
expected to moderate air-ticket price growth.

CNA_JvW