In Malaysia, as in many other Asian countries, consumer price inflation is accelerating, largely because of rising global commodity and energy prices. Higher inflation has been especially noticeable since the final months of 2010, although inflation in Malaysia remains moderate compared with the rate of price increases in neighbouring countries. The consumer price index (CPI) rose by 0.4% month on month in December, 0.6% in January and 0.5% in February. The annual rate of inflation, meanwhile, climbed to 2.9% in February, from 2.4% in January and 2.1% in December. There were noticeable price increases in the run-up to the Chinese New Year, which this year fell at the start of February. There was another increase in officially controlled petrol prices on February 1st. Prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages, which have a 30% weighting in the CPI index, rose by 4.7% year on year in February. The price index for restaurants and hotels rose 6.4% year on year, as did that for alcoholic beverages and tobacco. Price increases for non-food items suggest that high global commodity prices are feeding through to other categories within the CPI.