LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain’s annual inflation rate jumped in December partly on higher transport costs as Covid restrictions temporarily eased, official data showed Wednesday.
The rate, as measured by the UK’s Consumer Prices Index, rose to 0.6 percent last month from 0.3 percent in November, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement.
Analysts’ consensus forecasts had been for a rise to 0.5 percent.
“Transport costs… as well as petrol prices rose as some travel restrictions eased,” ONS statistician Jonathan Athow said of December’s inflation increase.
“These were partially offset by falling food prices,” he added.
Much of the UK has meanwhile returned to strict lockdown measures since the start of January to cope with an upsurge in coronavirus cases.
© Agence France-Presse
