MNI DATA IMPACT: CPI Steadies Below BoE Target Despite Rising Fuel>

By Laurie Laird and Shaily Mittal

     LONDON (MNI) - The following are the key points from inflation data 

published Wednesday by the Office for National Statistics. 

     - Inflation remained below the Bank of England's 2.0% target for 

the third straight month, steadying at an annual rate of 1.9%. 

     - However, rising fuel prices added 0.07 percentage points to the 

change in annual CPI.  Measured to two decimal places, inflation edged 

up to an annual rate of 1.91% from 1.87% in February. 

     - House prices rose by an annual rate of just 0.6% in February, the 

smallest rise since September of 2012. Unusually, the head of inflation 

at the Office for National Statistics opened his commentary by 

highlighting the sluggish rise in house prices.  

     - London house prices slumped by an annual rate of 3.8%, the 

biggest fall since August 2009.    

     - London prices have not increased in 12 straight months, recording 

a cumulative fall of 5.9%. However, that decline remains well below the 

peak-to-trough fall of 17.8% recorded between January of 2009 and April 

2009.  

-London bureau: 44 (0) 203 865 3812; email: ukeditorial@marketnews.com 

[TOPICS: M$B$$$,MABDS$,MAUDR$]