MNI BRIEF: UK Headline Inflation Slows To Near 3-1/2 Year Low
MNI (LONDON) - UK inflation slowed again in September, with the headline CPI reading dipping back below the Bank of England's 2% target level, the Office for National Statistics said Wednesday.
CPI rose by 1.7% in the year to September, down from 2.2% in August (lowest since April '21), while prices were little changed m/m down from a rise of 0.5% in September 2023. Core CPI rose by 3.2% in the 12 months to September (lowest since Sept '21), down from 3.6% in August - the CPI goods annual rate fell from negative 0.9% to negative 1.4%, while the CPI services annual rate fell from 5.6% to 4.9%.
The data will be welcome news for Bank of England policymakers ahead of the November MPC meeting and will underpin calls for a further 25bps cut in the Bank Rate and likley offer further fuel to speculation of a back-to-back cut in December. However, the sharp fall in the headline number could make messaging difficult for the BOE as it tries to hold the 'gradual' rate cut line. (see MNI POLICY: BOE's New Scenarios Risk Clouding Rate Message )