Consumer price index (CPI)
Lower unionisation ‘unlikely to account for’ low wage growth
In Australia, share of employees covered by wage agreements negotiated remains stable, RBA researchers find
UK lawmakers demand end to inflation index ‘merry-go-round’
UK Statistics Authority called upon to seek permission from finance minister to amend RPI errors
Ageing population is deflationary – HKMA paper
Deflationary pressures “should not be ignored”, economist says
UK lawmakers demand fix for RPI miscalculation
House of Lords says Statistics Authority’s failure to fix error has left many members of public poorer
Price shocks worse with poorly anchored inflation expectations – IMF paper
Inflation rises less and falls quicker after shocks when expectations are well anchored, study finds
Political angst affecting the exchange rate, says Bank of Mexico
Central bank hikes rates to 8% as political decisions begin to take a toll on financial market
Zimbabwe central bank suspends senior officials over corruption allegations
Government appointee accuses central bankers of illegal foreign exchange dealings
Inflation expected to reach 10% in Malawi
Rising electricity, food and fuel prices forces inflation well beyond central bank target
‘Amazon effects’ impact pricing across economy – paper
Alberto Cavallo says online competition has changed pricing dynamics on- and offline
Bank of Uganda hikes rates for first time since 2015
Rising oil prices and exchange rate volatility prompt central bank action
Bank of England poised for hike despite weak data
Economists still expect a raise in interest rates when the MPC meets next week
Alternatives to Japan’s 2% flexible inflation target
The Bank of Japan may review its policy framework, given its five-year failure to hit a 2% flexible inflation target
Measuring Venezuela’s hyperinflation
Steve Hanke discusses how economists can make use of high-frequency exchange rate data to track rapid price movements in Venezuela
Solving the owner-occupied housing puzzle
A group of researchers has outlined what they see as a better method of integrating owner-occupied housing into the CPI, as the EU’s statistical agency wrestles with the problem
Higher inflation in the US pushes up yields
The headline consumer price index rose by 2.1% year on year
UK inflation refuses to budge from 3%
Despite a decline in oil price pressure, UK inflation remains above target; latest figures increase the likelihood of the Bank of England raising rates in May
Bank Negara makes first rate hike since 2014
Bank Negara Malaysia is the first South-east Asian central bank to hike rates this year
Bank Indonesia launches joint initiative as rice prices bite
Indonesian central bank and government announce joint measures to control inflation arising from food price volatility
Lower inflation brings relief for Argentina’s central bank
Central bank leaves interest rates on hold at 28.75%, as year-on-year inflation lowers to 22.5%
RBA cuts forecasts as inflation disappoints
The Reserve Bank of Australia expects to undershoot its inflation target for another year
Korea suffering from ‘missing inflation’ – deputy governor
Core inflation is still in the mid-1% range despite economic improvement
Swedish inflation above target, but tightening unlikely
The Scandinavian economy recorded a 4% year-on-year expansion in the second quarter of 2017, but a strong krona and the ECB’s loose policy stance make an immediate rate rise difficult
Brexit drives a wedge between BoE and markets
Market expectations of future UK interest rates appear out of line with views expressed by the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee. It comes at a time when Brexit ‘news’ often trumps economic data
Book notes: Fed Up, by Danielle diMartino Booth
A “fascinating but annoying” account by a US Federal Reserve insider who openly criticises the culture of the US central bank and policy decisions made by the institution leading up to and following the financial crisis