MNI BRIEF: UK Inflation Slows In December As Services Ease
MNI (LONDON) - UK headline inflation slowed modestly in December, with the annual rate of increase 2.5%, down from 2.6% in November , the Office for Naional Statistics said Wednesday
On a monthly basis, CPI rose by 0.3%. Core CPI rose by 3.2%, down from 3.5% in November. The CPI goods annual rate rose from 0.4% to 0.7%, while the CPI services annual rate -- closely watched by the Bank of England -- fell from 5.0% to 4.4%.
The largest downward contribution to the monthly change in CPI annual rates came from restaurants and hotels; the largest upward contribution to both came from transport, particularly higher petrol prices.
The data came in above the BOE's 2% target rate, but the decline in services inflation will be a welcome boost and probably keeps a February rate cut a live possibility.