Consumer Price Index: Inflation Decreased 0.2%
Consumers paid 1.8% more in March 2018 than they did a year ago for the basket of goods and services included in the Consumer Price Index [CPI] and the level of inflation decreased 0.2 percentage points from the 2.0% measured in February 2018.
This is according to the latest Consumer Price Index, which said, “Between February 2018 and March 2018, the average cost of goods and services in the CPI increased 0.2%. The all-items index rose to 104.3 in March. This means that the basket of goods and services that cost $100.00 in April 2015 now costs $104.30.
“The Transport & Foreign Travel sector was the largest contributor to the year-over-year change in the CPI. This sector rose 3.0%, fuelled by an increase in the average cost of overseas hotels [6.0%]. In addition, the Tobacco & Liquor sector and the Education, Recreation, Entertainment & Reading sector rose 9.1% and 2.2%, respectively.”
The full March 2018 Consumer Price Index follows below [PDF here]:
