15/01/2002

Inflation rate rises but still below government target

UK inflation rose by 0.1 per cent last month to an annual rate of 1.9 per cent - but has remained at one of its lowest levels since records began.

The rate was also still below the government's target of 2.0-2.5 per cent.

The headline rate of inflation meanwhile, which includes the cost of home loans, fell by 0.2 percentage points to 0.7 per cent because of cheaper mortgage costs.

The underlying rate of inflation - which strips out mortgage costs - has now remained below the target level for 32 of the past 33 months, allowing the Bank of England to make seven rate cuts last year as it tried to prevent the UK economy from falling into recession.

The UK base rate is now at 4.0 per cent, its lowest level for 37 years.

Many analysts now think that there may be room for one more rate cut, before rates begin to rise again later in the year. (MB)

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