Kazakhstan: Inflation inches up in March
Consumer prices increased 0.5% over the previous month in March, following a 0.7% month-on-month rise in February. There was an increase in all three major sub-components. While the upturn in prices for food and non-food products mirrored the previous month’s figures, prices for paid services rose by much less over the preceding month in March compared to February.
Inflation inched up to 6.6% in March from February’s over two-year low of 6.5%. It remains within the Central Bank’s target range of 5.0%–7.0%. Annual average inflation continued to fall, dropping to 7.1% in March from 7.2% in February—the lowest in over two years.