Singapore core and headline inflation up again in March

Increase is due to rising energy and petrol prices, surging COE premiums and foreign worker shortages, say economists

Janice Heng

Published Sat, Apr 24, 2021 · 05:50 AM

Singapore

SINGAPORE'S core inflation rose in March, staying positive for the second straight month after more than a year in negative territory, Department of Statistics consumer price index (CPI) figures showed on Friday.

Core inflation, which strips out the costs of accommodation and private road transport, was 0.5 per cent in March versus 0.2 per cent in February. Headline inflation was 1.3 per cent, up from 0.7 per cent.

Both inflation measures came in just over economists' expectations of 0.4 per cent for core inflation and 1.2 per cent for headline…