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Canadian Inflation Picks Up in March on Surging Gasoline Prices

Canadian Inflation Picks Up in March on Surging Gasoline Prices

(Bloomberg) -- Canadian annual inflation accelerated in March on the biggest one-month increase in gasoline costs in a decade, bringing price pressures back up near the Bank of Canada’s target.

Annual consumer price inflation rose to 1.9 percent from 1.5 percent in February, Statistics Canada said Friday from Ottawa. The number was in line with analyst expectations. Core measures -- seen as a better gauge of underlying prices -- also ticked up to 1.97 percent, from 1.9 percent, and came in much stronger than the 1.8 percent anticipated by economists.

Canadian Inflation Picks Up in March on Surging Gasoline Prices

Key Insights

  • While sharp movements in gasoline prices have generated volatility in Canada’s headline inflation number over the past year, underlying price pressures have largely been stable near the Bank of Canada’s 2 percent target. The inflation pick-up in March simply brings the headline number into line with core readings.
  • The core figures have barely budged over the past year, averaging at about 1.9 percent, suggesting a largely benign environment for inflation -- neither too high nor too soft to pull the Bank of Canada off the sidelines.
  • While the core readings did come in higher than expected in March and the last two months have shown some signs of inflation strengthening, a weaker economy in recent months may keep pressures in check and limit any upside. This seems to be the view of the Bank of Canada, which has taken a dovish tilt on policy in recent weeks. The central bank anticipates inflation will remain below its 2 percent target for most of this year.

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  • On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.7 percent, in line with analyst estimates. Gasoline prices jumped 12 percent, the biggest one month gain since 2007.
  • On a seasonally adjusted basis, the figures show some strengthening in inflation. Prices were up 0.3 percent in March after a 0.4 percent gain in February. It’s the strongest back-to-back gain since August.
  • But there are few signs of any major inflationary pressure in the report. Inflation in the service sector was down to 2.2 percent in March, from 2.3 percent in February. Excluding gasoline, consumer price inflation was 2.2 percent.

--With assistance from Erik Hertzberg.

To contact the reporter on this story: Theophilos Argitis in Ottawa at targitis@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Theophilos Argitis at targitis@bloomberg.net, Stephen Wicary

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