[MANILA] Philippine annual inflation was 1.7 per cent in August, easing from a 2.4 per cent climb in the previous month, due to a drop in food and utility prices, the statistics agency said on Thursday.

Economists in a Reuters poll had forecast inflation to ease 1.8 per cent in August, which was within the central bank's 1.3 per cent -2.1 per cent forecast for the month.

REUTERS