The annual rate of consumer price inflation slowed to 5.1 per cent last month from 5.3 per cent the month before, official data indicate. The Statistics and Census Service attributes the steadiness of inflation mainly to increases in rents for housing and the cost of meals in restaurants. The annual rate of housing and fuel price inflation was 10.58 per cent and the annual rate of food and non-alcoholic drink price inflation was 5.48 per cent. In contrast, there was slight deflation in the cost of transport and prices of clothes and shoes.
—
