MNI 5 THINGS: Tokyo Feb Core CPI Kept Stable At +1.1% Y/Y

--Tokyo Feb Core-Core CPI +0.7% Y/Y; Jan +0.7%

--Tokyo Feb CPI Energy Costs +8.8% Y/Y; Jan +8.0%

--Tokyo Feb CPI Food Ex-Perishables +0.7% Y/Y; Jan +0.9%

--Tokyo Feb CPI Durable Goods +5.0% Y/Y; Jan +0.5%

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

of the national average, was stable in January at 1.1% y/y. Energy and durable

goods prices were higher, while food and accommodation costs fell, data from the

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications released Friday showed.

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

     --Tokyo core consumer price index (excluding fresh food) was unchanged at

1.1% on year in February, above the MNI median economist 1.0% forecast. It was

the 22nd straight monthly y/y rise since the 0.1% gain seen in May 2017.

     --Energy costs rose by 8.8% in February, up from 8.0% in January --

contributing a positive 0.44 percentage point to total Tokyo CPI. Household

durable goods prices surged to 5.0% gain in February from last month's 0.5%. 

     --Processed food price slowed to 0.7% y/y in February, lower than the 0.9%

y/y increased registered in January. 

     --Accommodation costs fell to 3.5% y/y from the previous 5.8%. Overseas

tour prices slid as well to 10.6% y/y in February from 13.7% y/y reported in

January.

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

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

unchanged from January.

--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

[TOPICS: MAJDS$,MAUDR$,MAUDS$,M$A$$$,M$J$$$,M$U$$$]