BRITISH COLUMBIA – Canadian prices, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), rose 2.8 per cent on a year-over-year basis in April, following a 2.4 per cent increase in March.
On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, the CPI was up 0.3 per cent in April, equivalent to a 3.7 per cent increase on an annualized basis. The CPI ex-gasoline increased by 2.0 per cent in April, down from 2.2 per cent in the previous month. Additionally, food prices overall increased by 3.5 per cent year-over-year, down from 4.0 per cent in March.
In BC, consumer prices rose 2.5 per cent year-over-year in April, matching the increase from March. The Bank of Canada‘s preferred measures of median and trimmed inflation, which strip out volatile components, rose by 2.1 per cent and 2.0 per cent year-over-year, respectively.
As many expected, the ongoing Iranian conflict and its shock to global oil supply is placing upward pressure on headline inflation. Nonetheless, the CPI excluding gasoline has decelerated over the past two months, while 3-month annualized core inflation remains below the Bank of Canada’s target, sitting at about 1.8 per cent.
With core inflation and the labour market remaining soft, we tentatively expect a fifth consecutive rate hold in June, as the Bank assesses the depth of the oil shock on headline inflation as well as other intermediate and final goods which are constrained by the conflict.
Source: bcrea.bc.ca
