Cpi 4.5% Rpi 5.2%

[exiges]

CPI annual inflation – the Government’s target measure – was 4.5 per cent in April, up from 4.0 per cent in March. The last time CPI annual inflation was higher was September 2008 when it stood at 5.2 per cent (the record high for CPI).

The timing of Easter in 2011 had a significant impact on certain travel costs included in the CPI due to the collection periods for air transport, sea transport and international rail travel including the Easter holidays. Easter in 2010 was much earlier and did not affect the April 2010 CPI.

The largest upward pressures to the change in CPI inflation came from:

transport: by far the largest upward effect came from air transport where the timing of Easter contributed to fares rising by 29.0 per cent between March and April 2011; between the same two months in 2010, fares fell by 1.0 per cent. There was also a large upward effect from sea transport where again Easter was a factor; fares rose by 22.3 per cent between March and April 2011 compared to an increase of 3.1 per cent a year ago

Partially offsetting these upward effects within transport was downward pressure from petrol and diesel where prices rose by less than a year ago. This was partly due to the fact there was a decrease in excise duty that influenced fuel prices in April 2011 whereas in April 2010 there was an increase in excise duty

alcoholic beverages and tobacco: prices, overall, rose by a record 5.3 per cent between March and April 2011 compared with a rise of 2.1 per cent a year ago. The increase in excise duties on alcohol and tobacco this year had a more significant impact than the increases a year ago

housing and household services: the largest upward effect came from gas where average bills were unchanged between March and April 2011 but fell by 2.9 per cent a year ago. The next largest upward effects came from sewerage collection where charges rose this year but fell a year ago and rental costs for housing, which rose by more than a year ago

The largest downward pressures to the change in CPI inflation came from:

miscellaneous goods and services: the largest downward effects came from appliances and products for personal care and transport insurance

clothing and footwear: prices, overall, rose by 1.3 per cent between March and April this year compared with a 2.2 per cent increase a year ago. Although there is a smaller price rise this year, the increase of 1.3 per cent is still the second largest rise for a March to April period

In the year to April, RPI annual inflation was 5.2 per cent, down from 5.3 per cent in March.

RPIX annual inflation – the all items RPI excluding mortgage interest payments – was 5.3 per cent in April, down from 5.4 per cent in March.

As an internationally comparable measure of inflation, the CPI shows that the UK inflation rate in March was above the provisional figure for the European Union. The UK rate was 4.0 per cent whereas the EU’s as a whole was 3.1 per cent.

Edited May 17, 2011 by exiges

[The Knimbies who say No]

CPI annual inflation – the Government’s target measure – was 4.5 per cent in April, up from 4.0 per cent in March. The last time CPI annual inflation was higher was September 2008 when it stood at 5.2 per cent (the record high for CPI).

The timing of Easter in 2011 had a significant impact on certain travel costs included in the CPI due to the collection periods for air transport, sea transport and international rail travel including the Easter holidays. Easter in 2010 was much earlier and did not affect the April 2010 CPI.

The largest upward pressures to the change in CPI inflation came from:

transport: by far the largest upward effect came from air transport where the timing of Easter contributed to fares rising by 29.0 per cent between March and April 2011; between the same two months in 2010, fares fell by 1.0 per cent. There was also a large upward effect from sea transport where again Easter was a factor; fares rose by 22.3 per cent between March and April 2011 compared to an increase of 3.1 per cent a year ago

Partially offsetting these upward effects within transport was downward pressure from petrol and diesel where prices rose by less than a year ago. This was partly due to the fact there was a decrease in excise duty that influenced fuel prices in April 2011 whereas in April 2010 there was an increase in excise duty

alcoholic beverages and tobacco: prices, overall, rose by a record 5.3 per cent between March and April 2011 compared with a rise of 2.1 per cent a year ago. The increase in excise duties on alcohol and tobacco this year had a more significant impact than the increases a year ago

housing and household services: the largest upward effect came from gas where average bills were unchanged between March and April 2011 but fell by 2.9 per cent a year ago. The next largest upward effects came from sewerage collection where charges rose this year but fell a year ago and rental costs for housing, which rose by more than a year ago

The largest downward pressures to the change in CPI inflation came from:

miscellaneous goods and services: the largest downward effects came from appliances and products for personal care and transport insurance

clothing and footwear: prices, overall, rose by 1.3 per cent between March and April this year compared with a 2.2 per cent increase a year ago. Although there is a smaller price rise this year, the increase of 1.3 per cent is still the second largest rise for a March to April period

In the year to April, RPI annual inflation was 5.2 per cent, down from 5.3 per cent in March.

RPIX annual inflation – the all items RPI excluding mortgage interest payments – was 5.3 per cent in April, down from 5.4 per cent in March.

As an internationally comparable measure of inflation, the CPI shows that the UK inflation rate in March was above the provisional figure for the European Union. The UK rate was 4.0 per cent whereas the EU’s as a whole was 3.1 per cent.

Only temporary, I expect...

[sign_of_the_times]

as above

don't know why the pound shoots up on the news, its not as if they will ever increase rates ?

Edited May 17, 2011 by sign_of_the_times

[FTBagain]

It's all down to Easter.

As you were. Nothing to worry about its only a temporary blip.

[exiges]

Now if only NS&I would let me put all my housing fund in their RPI+0.5% account

[Pent Up]

It's cos of Easter innit.

But how has CPI increased and RPI slowed slightly?

[rantnrave]

So let's reflect a moment here - the most likely month for an IR hike and Sentance's last vote is the only month in recent times when inflation falls. No coincidence there then...

[neil324]

It's cos of Easter innit.

But how has CPI increased and RPI slowed slightly?

Erm because benefits are pegged to RPI?

[sign_of_the_times]

But how has CPI increased and RPI slowed slightly?

cos NS&I is linked to RPI

[Timak]

I simply don't believe the food price inflation figures I've seen recently.

I was in Tesco yesterday and things I am used to regularly buying are up by 30-40% over the last 2 years.Sliced meat for sandwiches is now £2.89 up from £2.30.

If not directly in price then the inflation is done by reducing the package sizes (e.g. 750g packet of frozen broad beans now rather than 1kg but price unchanged)

[Pent Up]

cos NS&I is linked to RPI

Erm because benefits are pegged to RPI?

Of course, how silly of me..

[Pent Up]

I simply don't believe the food price inflation figures I've seen recently.

I was in Tesco yesterday and things I am used to regularly buying are up by 30-40% over the last 2 years.Sliced meat for sandwiches is now £2.89 up from £2.30.

If not directly in price then the inflation is done by reducing the package sizes (e.g. 750g packet of frozen broad beans now rather than 1kg but price unchanged)

I see this secret sneaky inflation all the time! Food in the inflation measure should be price per gram.

[porca misèria]

But how has CPI increased and RPI slowed slightly?

Hasn't.

Last month's CPI was out of line, this month reverted to trend.

[MC Fur Q]

Surely this is just temporary because it snowed last year, it was sunny in April, there was a royal wedding and that a groundhog came out of it's burrow and saw it's shadow?

No reason to panic people.

[LuckyOne]

It's cos of Easter innit.

But how has CPI increased and RPI slowed slightly?

All that vigilance is paying off ??

[Realistbear]

Unless wages rise its all going to come tumbling down and I do think Brown is right: Crisis II is imminent. Recession and even depression is coming and that means collapsing demand and a commodities bust the like of which that has not been seen since Tulips suddenly became unfashionable.

It cannot last on its present track. I know of loads of people who are cutting back spending (demand) and the more sellers raise prices the less they will sell. I am renegotiating a commercial lease and the LL may agree to a 30% reduction in the rent--or have a verrrrry long void. I have cut my fuel costs by 50% with a 1.4 litre (BMW designed) car, I just bought 2 pairs of Ralph Lauren troosers from a charity shoppe in Weybridge for £20 and stocked the freezer with whoelsale restaurant quality meat from Costco. I am sure others are cutting back in like manner--millions are doing it. Retail is tanking and the rise in prices in other items will soon peak as people can't buy what they cannot afford or charge on their credit cards (as banks cut crdit limits).

Funny how the government are now flogging inflation protected bonds to HELP us all?

[InlikeFlynn]

"Yeah but if the sliced meat is too expensive, you obviously don't buy it and pick something deflationary like an iphone 1 to munch between the slices instead."

I've just spat my coffee all over the keyboard. That phrase perfectly sums up the UK's crooked method of measuring inflation - after all I can't run my car on shoes.

[neil324]

Oil has fell 10% plus recently, how much have you noticed it fall at the pumps? Myself sweat FA. Because Sterling has fallen at the same time.

Just wait until the news jump all over the nasty oil giants for not passing it on.

This is going to get nasty.

Who needs rate rises.

[Georgia O'Keeffe]

"Yeah but if the sliced meat is too expensive, you obviously don't buy it and pick something deflationary like an iphone 1 to munch between the slices instead."

I've just spat my coffee all over the keyboard. That phrase perfectly sums up the UK's crooked method of measuring inflation - after all I can't run my car on shoes.

why not, the flintstones managed to quite well, typical British whingeing

Edited May 17, 2011 by georgia o'keeffe

[The Masked Tulip]

Thank goodness house asking prices are rising.

[Realistbear]

Oil has fell 10% plus recently, how much have you noticed it fall at the pumps? Myself sweat FA. Because Sterling has fallen at the same time.

Just wait until the news jump all over the nasty oil giants for not passing it on.

This is going to get nasty.

Who needs rate rises.

Sterling is doing well vs. the $ in which oil is priced. We will be waiting a long time to see drops in the wholesale market filter down to the pumps. Like gas and electricity the energy companies pocket the difference. Prices go one way--the sellers way. So called "watchdogs" just watch and do nothing for consumers. Ofcom? What do they do? Ofwhat? Just an office full off over paid chumps "watching out" for you and me. Too much vigilance and not enough action if you ask me.

People are just not angry enough yet. One major incident could trigger it though.

[Lagarde's Drift]

Oil has fell 10% plus recently, how much have you noticed it fall at the pumps? Myself sweat FA. Because Sterling has fallen at the same time.

Just wait until the news jump all over the nasty oil giants for not passing it on.

This is going to get nasty.

Who needs rate rises.

LOL you sound just like the bashers who say commodities / PMs have fallen recently.

The cheap energy crisis is here to stay and is driving prices up across the board - get used to it!

Oh, and the Goverment messing up the North Sea taxation really hasn't helped.

[GordonBrownSpentMyFuture]

Thank goodness house asking prices are rising.

Inflation innit.

This time next year, Rodders...

[ken_ichikawa]

Unless wages rise its all going to come tumbling down and I do think Brown is right: Crisis II is imminent. Recession and even depression is coming and that means collapsing demand and a commodities bust the like of which that has not been seen since Tulips suddenly became unfashionable.

It cannot last on its present track. I know of loads of people who are cutting back spending (demand) and the more sellers raise prices the less they will sell.

Funny how the government are now flogging inflation protected bonds to HELP us all?

You forget one thing, if the people cut back and spend, then the government will spend on your behalf, they are already spending an extra 150bn a year more than taxes take in. Thus they'll turn on the printing presses and keep inflating until we turn into Zimbabwe.

[exiges]

Unless wages rise its all going to come tumbling down

They are rising, ask the RMT, BT, BA etc.