This information is more news of the past, but has predicted inflation numbers for going forward.

Prices in Honolulu rose 4.3 percent in 2008, lower than recent years but above the national average.  The inflation rate, measuring the change from 2007, was driven mostly by prices for gas, utilities and food in the first half of the year. The national average was 3.8 percent.  For the second half of last year, Honolulu’s inflation rate was 3.6 percent.  As the recession worsened in the last half, prices rose only 1.3 percent from the beginning of the year, a flattening expected to last well into 2009.

No surprise why inflation was up last year, but with gas prices having declined as much as they have, and other various products and energy costs coming down, we see an expected flattening in inflation….for now.