Consumer Inflation Eases To 2.7 In March

Consumer inflation has slowed in line with market expectations. Stats SA data shows that annual Consumer Price inflation rose by two-point-seven percent in March, on a year-on-year basis. Thats down from three-point-two percent in February.

Housing and utilities, food and non-alcoholic beverages, restaurants, and accommodation services were the main positive contributors to the annual inflation rate.

Higher price changes were recorded for fruits and nuts, hot beverages, and meat categories.

Statistics SAs Patrick Kelly says, The decline was mainly due to lower fuel prices-changes to fuel prices often affect the monthly inflation rate. In March, the fuel index softened to 0.4 percent in February-..down from R24.45 a year before diesel declined to R22.80 from R24.85 over the same period.