MNI 5 THINGS: Tokyo Dec Core CPI +1.1% Y/Y; Energy Costs Up

--Tokyo Jan Core-Core CPI +0.7% Y/Y; Dec +0.6%

--Tokyo Jan CPI Energy Costs +8.0% Y/Y; Dec +7.6%

--Tokyo Jan CPI Food Ex-Perishables +0.9% Y/Y; Dec +1.0%

--Tokyo Jan CPI Durable Goods +0.5% Y/Y; Dec -2.3%

     TOKYO (MNI) - Tokyo's annual consumer inflation rate, a leading indicator

of the national average, accelerated in January to 1.1% y/y, with energy,

durable goods and accommodation prices rising, data from the Ministry of

Internal Affairs and Communications released Friday showed.

     The following are the key points from the latest Tokyo CPI data:

     --The Tokyo core consumer price index (excluding fresh food) rose 1.1% on

year in January, coming higher than the MNI median economist forecast which

projected a 0.9% growth. It was the 21th straight y/y rise since the 0.1% gain

seen in May 2017.

     --Energy costs jumped to 8.0% in January from 7.6% in December --

contributing a positive 0.40 percentage point to total Tokyo CPI, the

contribution was still 0.02 point higher than in December.

     --Household durable goods prices rebounded to 0.5% gain in January from

last month's 2.3% drop. Accommodation costs, up 5.8% y/y from previous 2.0%

growth, also pushed up the core CPI by 0.09 percentage points in the holiday

season.

     --Processed food price rises slowed to 0.9% y/y in January, lower than the

1.0% y/y increased registered in December. Overseas tour costs eased to 13.7%

y/y from the previous 15.2% rise.

     --The core-core CPI (excluding fresh food and energy) -- a key indicator of

the underlying trend of inflation -- rose 0.7% on year in January in Tokyo,

faster than the 0.6% reported in December.

--MNI Beijing Bureau; tel: +86 (10) 8532-5998; email: flora.guo@marketnews.com

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

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