Sterling drops notably after September consumer inflation data came in lower than expected. Headline CPI slowed to 2.4% yoy, down from 2.7% yoy and missed expectation of 2.8% yoy. Core CPI slowed to 1.9% yoy, down from 2.1% yoy and missed expectation of 2.1% yoy.
The ONS noted that “The largest downward contribution to the change in the CPIH 12-month rate came from food and non-alcoholic beverages, where prices fell by 0.1% between August and September 2018 compared with a rise of 0.8% between the same two months a year ago. The main effects came from meat where prices fell, between August and September, this year but rose a year ago and from chocolate.”
Also released, RPI slowed to 3.3% yoy versus prior 3.5% yoy and expectation of 3.5% yoy. PPI input rose to 10.3% yoy from 9.4% yoy. PPI output rose to 3.1% yoy from 2.9% yoy. PPI output core rose to 2.4% yoy from 2.2% yoy.