Peru: Inflation moves up in March
Consumer prices in Metropolitan Lima jumped 0.73% over the previous month in March, accelerating notably from February’s 0.13% month-on-month rise and marking the fastest rise in two years. March’s upsurge was largely the result of higher prices for recreation, cultural and teaching services —due to an increase in prices for education— and food and beverages, owing to the rain season.
Meanwhile, inflation edged up to 2.2% from February’s 2.0%, well within the Central Bank’s target range of 2.0% plus or minus 1.0 percentage points. In February—the latest month for which data is available—core consumer prices, which exclude energy and food prices, increased 0.2% from the previous month, up from January’s 0.1% rise. Finally, core inflation inched up to 2.6% in February from January’s 2.5%.