United Kingdom: Inflation drops to lowest level in over four years in August
Consumer prices fell a seasonally-adjusted 0.42% over the previous month in August, contrasting the 0.45% rise recorded in July. August’s figure marked the first negative reading since April and was largely driven by falling prices in restaurants and hotels—arising from the government’s Eat Out to Help Out subsidization scheme—as well as lower clothing and footwear costs.
Inflation dropped to 0.2% in August, from July’s 1.0% rise and marked the lowest rate since December 2015. Annual average inflation inched down to 1.2% in August (July: 1.3%). Similarly, core inflation declined to 0.9% from the previous month’s 1.8%.