Indonesia Nov inflation rate falls to lowest in nearly a year

[JAKARTA] Indonesia's annual inflation rate fell for a fifth consecutive month in November, reaching its lowest since December 2016, the country's statistics bureau data showed on Monday.

The headline consumer price index (CPI) rose 3.30 per cent in November from a year earlier, compared with the 3.58 per cent increase in October. Analysts polled by Reuters expected the index to increase 3.40 per cent.

The CPI rose 0.20 per cent on a monthly basis.

Prices of some raw food, such as garlic and tomatoes, fell in November, but prices of processed food and housing increased.

The annual core inflation rate, which excludes administered and volatile food prices, increased 3.05 per cent, lower than 3.07 per cent a month earlier and against analysts' expectation of 3.10 per cent.

The central bank most recently estimated Indonesia's inflation by year end to be at around 3.0-3.5 per cent.

REUTERS