UK consumer price growth slowed in May

According to the report from Office for National Statistics (ONS), the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) 12-month rate was 2.0% in May 2019, down from 2.1% in April 2019.

The Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH) 12-month inflation rate was 1.9% in May 2019, down from 2.0% in April 2019. Falling fares for transport services, particularly air fares influenced by the timing of Easter in April, and falling car prices produced the largest downward contributions to the change in the rate between April and May 2019. Partially offsetting upward contributions came from rising prices for a range of games, toys and hobbies, furniture and furnishings, and accommodation services.

ONS said the headline rate of output inflation for goods leaving the factory gate was 1.8% on the year to May, down from 2.1% in April 2019. The growth rate of prices for materials and fuels used in the manufacturing process was 1.3% on the year to May 2019, down from 4.5% in April 2019. Petroleum provided the largest downward contribution to the change in the annual rate of output inflation.

The annual rate of input inflation fell 3.2 percentage points in May 2019, driven by a large downward contribution to the change in the rate from crude oil.