United Kingdom Consumer Prices Index stays flat in March at 1.9 % yy

Office for National Statistics said, the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) 12-month rate was 1.9% in March 2019, unchanged from February 2019.

The Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH) 12-month inflation rate was 1.8% in March 2019, unchanged from February 2019.

Rising prices for motor fuels and clothing produced the largest upward contributions to change in the rate between February and March 2019. The largest, offsetting, downward contributions came from across a range of recreational and cultural goods, food and motor vehicles.

A separate report from the ONS showed that the headline rate of output inflation for goods leaving the factory gate was 2.4% on the year to March 2019, which is unchanged from February 2019.

The growth rate of prices for materials and fuels used in the manufacturing process was 3.7% on the year to March 2019, down from 4.0% in February 2019.

All product groups provided upward contributions to output annual inflation. Fuel provided the largest upward contribution to the annual rate of input inflation, despite falling on the month.