MNI BRIEF: Aussie April Monthly CPI At 3.6%
The Australian monthly consumer price index indicator was 3.6% y/y in April, 20 basis points higher than expected and 10bp more than the prior month, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
“Inflation has been relatively stable over the past five months, although this is the second month in a row where annual inflation has had a small increase,” said Michelle Marquardt, head of prices statistics at the ABS.
The most significant contributors to the April annual rise were housing (4.9%), food and non-alcoholic beverages (3.8%), alcohol and tobacco (6.5%), and transport (4.2%).
The Reserve Bank of Australia held the cash rate steady at the May meeting, despite considering a hike to the 4.35% cash rate. (See MNI RBA WATCH: Hikes Discussed, Governor Defends Credibility)