MNI BRIEF: Aussie Monthly CPI Falls to 3.4% Y/Y
Australia’s monthly CPI indicator printed at 3.4% y/y in January, flat over December and 20 basis points lower than the market estimate, data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed.
CPI excluding volatile items grew at 4.1% y/y, 10bp lower than the prior month, while trimmed mean rose by 3.8%, down form December’s 4%.
Michelle Marquardt, head of prices statistics at the ABS, noted the result was the lowest read since November 2021.
While the print will encourage Reserve Bank of Australia officials, the monthly indicator lacks crucial services inflation data – a key factor for the board’s next decision due March 18. (See MNI: RBA Rate Cut Talk Premature - Ex Staff) The ABS will release the more comprehensive Q4 CPI result on April 24.