Latest news with #coreinflation
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
US PPI Muted in May, Recurring Jobless Claims Jump
00:00 Looks like we've got a fairly benign PPI coming in with final demand and core coming in a just a 10th core ex trade up, also just a 10th. So that leaves the year over year headline pie at 2.6%. The core pie falls to 3% from 3.1% and we get a 2.7% core ex trade. So that looks like in line. I'll get you some break down in just a second. Jobless claims come in at 248,000. That's 1000 more than last week, although last week was revised up to 248. So now we're looking at an unchanged jobless claims situation. Again, this is a difficult seasonal adjustment time of year. It does not suggest that there is any kind of problem with the labor market at the moment, even though we're sort of at an elevated level compared to where we had been earlier in the year.
Malay Mail
30-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Bank Negara: Malaysia's headline inflation unchanged at 1.4pc in April
KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — Malaysia's headline inflation remained unchanged at 1.4 per cent in April 2025, while core inflation edged up to two per cent from 1.9 per cent in March 2025, according to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM). In its Monthly Highlights for April 2025, the central bank said the rise in core inflation was driven by price increases in core components, including mobile communication services, jewellery and watches, as well as air passenger transport. 'These were partially offset by lower inflation for non-core items such as fuels and lubricants, as well as fresh vegetables, amid an easing cost environment,' it said. BNM also reported that gross exports grew by 16.4 per cent from 6.8 per cent last month, mainly due to the continued strong expansion of electrical and electronics (E&E) exports, supported by a rebound in non-E&E and commodities exports. 'Malaysia imports expanded by 20 per cent (March 2025: -2.9 per cent), amid a sharp growth of capital imports. However, intensified trade tensions are expected to weigh on exports and increase downside risks. 'This will be partly cushioned by sustained global demand for E&E and Malaysia's integral role in the global supply chain,' said BNM. The central bank noted that credit to the private non-financial sector grew by 5.5 per cent (March 2025: 5.5 per cent), supported by steady growth in outstanding loans (5.5 per cent; March 2025: 5.6 per cent) and higher growth in outstanding corporate bonds (5.5 per cent; March 2025: 5.3 per cent). 'Growth in business loans moderated slightly to 4.6 per cent (March 2025: 4.8 per cent), reflecting slower loan growth, particularly in the services sector. 'Notwithstanding, demand for business financing remained forthcoming across both small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and non-SMEs. Household loan growth remained steady at six per cent with continued growth across most loan purposes,' it noted. BNM highlighted that the global financial conditions became more volatile following tariffs announcement by the United States (US) administration. 'Global investor sentiment also turned cautious amid rising concerns over a more subdued US economy and its negative spillovers to the global economy. Amid these developments, the ringgit appreciated by 2.7 per cent against the US dollar. 'The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI rose by 1.8 per cent (regional average: 1.1 per cent), while the yield on 10-year Malaysian Government Securities (MGS) declined by 11.0 basis points (regional average: -14.7 bps), in line with movements of global bond yields. 'This trend was largely driven by net foreign inflows into the bond market, amid heightened global risk aversion,' it noted. Additionally, it said the banking system continued to show healthy liquidity buffers, with an aggregate liquidity coverage ratio of 155.8 per cent (March 2025 to 151.6 per cent). 'The aggregate loan-to-fund ratio decreased slightly to 83.3 per cent (March 2025: 83.8 per cent) as the increase in total funds outpaced loan growth,' said BNM. Malaysia's gross and net impaired loans ratios remained stable at 1.4 per cent and 0.9 per cent, respectively. 'The loan loss coverage ratio (including regulatory reserves) remained prudent at 131.0 per cent of gross impaired loans, compared to 131.3 per cent in the previous month,' it added. — Bernama
Reuters
28-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Australia April consumer prices rise 2.4% y/y, above forecasts
SYDNEY, May 28 (Reuters) - Australian consumer prices in April rose above forecasts as higher insurance and holiday costs offset a drop in petrol, while core inflation edged higher in a slightly disappointing report. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday showed the monthly consumer price index (CPI) rose 2.4% in April compared to a year earlier, unchanged from March but above median forecasts of 2.3%. Estimates had ranged widely from 1.9% to 2.5%. The trimmed mean measure of core inflation increased by an annual rate of 2.8% in April, up from 2.7% in March. A measure excluding volatile items and holiday travel also picked up to 2.8%, from 2.6%.
CNA
23-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Singapore's core inflation rises to 0.7% in April, first increase after six months
SINGAPORE: Singapore's core inflation rose in April, marking the first year-on-year increase after six months. Core inflation, which excludes private transport and accommodation, came in at 0.7 per cent in April. This is above the March reading of 0.5 per cent, which was a four-year low, and the median forecast of 0.5 per cent in a Reuters poll of economists. The April increase was driven by higher inflation in services and food, which more than offset lower retail and other goods inflation, said the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) on Friday (May 23). On a month-on-month basis, core inflation rose by 0.5 per cent. Overall inflation remained at 0.9 per cent in April as the rise in core inflation was offset by lower accommodation and private transport inflation, said MAS and MTI. They added that Singapore's imported inflation is expected to remain "moderate", noting that amid slowing global demand and ample supply conditions, global crude oil prices are projected to be lower compared to 2024. "Food commodity price increases should also stay contained," said MAS and MTI. "Although the trade conflicts could be inflationary for some economies, their impact on Singapore's import prices is likely to be more than offset by the disinflationary drags exerted by weaker global demand." Both core inflation and overall inflation are projected to average 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent in 2025. SECTORS Services inflation rose from 0.6 per cent in March to 1.1 per cent in April because of a larger increase in health insurance costs and a smaller decline in airfares. Food inflation increased slightly, edging up from 1.3 per cent in March to 1.4 per cent in April as prices of non-cooked food rose faster. Retail and other goods inflation fell 1.2 per cent after dropping 0.5 per cent in March. A decline in clothing and footwear prices and a sharper drop in the cost of medicines and health products offset an increase in water prices. Electricity and gas inflation remained at 3.5 per cent. Private transport inflation eased from 2.1 per cent in the previous month to 1.3 per cent in April, due to a smaller increase in car prices and a larger decline in petrol prices. Accommodation inflation also fell, moderating from 1.4 per cent in March to 1.1 per cent in April. This was caused by smaller increases in housing rents, as well as housing maintenance and repair costs. OUTLOOK While the rise in the annual core inflation rate was the first since September last year, when it had ticked up to 2.8 per cent, it was the fourth consecutive month where the reading was below 1 per cent. MAS and MTI said that on the domestic front, unit labour costs are projected to rise gradually as nominal wage growth continues to ease, even as productivity increases. Enhanced government subsidies for essential services such as public healthcare, preschool education and public transport will continue to dampen services inflation, they added.
CNA
16-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Japan's April core inflation likely sped up to fastest pace in two years: Reuters poll
TOKYO : Japan's April core inflation probably rose at its fastest pace in two years on the reduction of energy subsidies and higher food costs, a Reuters poll showed, adding to pressure on the central bank to raise interest rates. The Bank of Japan is facing the difficult task of deciding when to increase borrowing costs as U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs cast uncertainty on an already fragile economy and the global economic outlook. The core consumer price index (CPI), which includes oil products but excludes fresh food prices, was expected to have climbed 3.4 per cent in April from a year earlier, a poll of 19 economists showed on Friday. That figure was the highest since April 2023 and compared with 3.2 per cent in March. "Although the abolition of high school tuition fees from April would be a factor to put cost pressure downward, price revisions for non-perishable food and restaurant services in April will be a factor to drive up inflation," said an analyst at Mizuho Research & Technologies. Core inflation has now exceeded the BOJ's 2 per cent target every month for three years in a row, in a sign of mounting price pressure as companies continue to pass on rising raw material and labour costs. However, the Japanese economy is already fragile even before factoring in the impact from Trump's trade tariffs, some of which have been put on hold until July. The government said on Friday the country's economy contracted for the first time in a year and at a faster pace than expected in January-March on stagnant consumption and falling exports. Most economists now expect the BOJ will hold interest rates through September, although a slight majority still see at least a 25-basis-point hike by year-end, a separate Reuters poll released on Thursday showed. The internal affairs ministry will release April CPI data at 8:30 a.m. on May 23 (2330 GMT on May 22).
