Malaysia April inflation rate seen easing to 4.5% y-o-y: poll

[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysian consumer prices in April likely were 4.5 per cent higher than a year earlier, a Reuters poll showed, cooling down from March's eight-year high of 5.1 per cent.

Economists said that lower fuel prices last month kept transport inflation in check, while food prices have begun to moderate following the removal of cooking oil subsidies last year.

If April's annual inflation is 4.5 per cent, that would match the rate in February, which was the highest since 2009 until the spike in March.

Malaysia's central bank said headline inflation increased to 4.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2017 but is expected to moderate in the second half.

Bank Negara Malaysia has set a 2017 inflation target of 3 to 4 per cent.

REUTERS