BusinessLive reports that inflation, as measured by the annual change in the consumer price index (CPI), accelerated less than expected to 4.5% in April from 3.8% in March.
Economists had expected inflation to heat up as the various tax and levy increases introduced in the 2018 budget took effect on 1 April. At 4.5%, April’s inflation came in lower than the economist’s consensus of 4.7% and placed inflation exactly in the middle of the Reserve Bank’s 3%-6% target range. The 72c/litre increase in the price of petrol in April contributed to the fuel component of CPI showing 9% annual inflation. This matched a 9% inflation in meat prices. Overall food inflation was 3.7%, with fruit prices falling 8.2%, and bread and cereal prices falling 3.7% over the year.
- A short report by Robert Laing is at BusinessLive
- See too, SA's annual consumer inflation accelerates to 4.5% in April, at Business Report
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page