WIREDGOV

According to the figures released yesterday by the ONS, consumer price index inflation remained unchanged at 2.0 per cent in the year to June 2019. Our new analysis of 131,212 locally-collected goods and services prices suggests that observed price increases were balanced by scheduled sales in June. The underlying rate of inflation, which excludes the most extreme price changes, rose not only at the national level but in every region of the country.  Despite this increase, underlying inflation remains consistent with the 2 per cent inflation target.

Main points

• Underlying inflation increased by 0.2 percentage points to 1.0 per cent in the year to June 2019, as measured by the trimmed mean, which excludes 5 per cent of the highest and lowest price changes (figure 1).
• At the regional level, underlying inflation was highest in London at 1.2 per cent and lowest in the West Midlands at 0.8 per cent in the year to June 2019 (table 1).
• 17.3 per cent of goods and services prices changed in June, implying an average duration of prices of 5.8 months. 4.5 per cent of prices were reduced due to sales, 3.5 per cent fell for other reasons and 9.3 per cent were increases (figure 2).
• The historical relationship between current trimmed mean inflation and future CPI inflation implies CPI inflation of 2.1 per cent in the year to June 2020.

Janine Boshoff, Economist, said: “Headline CPI inflation remained unchanged at 2.0 per cent in the year to June 2019. Our analysis of more than 130,000 goods and services included in the basket, suggests that scheduled sales in the month of June offset some of the price increases seen during the month. Our measure of underlying inflation, which excludes extreme price movements, picked up by 0.2 percentage points at the national level. Underlying inflation also increased in every region of the United Kingdom, rising most in the London, the North and North West.

This analysis builds on the work presented in the National Institute Economic Review, which constructs a measure of trimmed mean inflation based on the goods and services prices that underlie the consumer price index.

Our next analysis of consumer prices will be published on 14 August.

Figure 1. Inflation: CPI and trimmed mean

Note: Our measure of trimmed mean inflation excludes 5 per cent of the highest and lowest price changes. The level of trimmed mean inflation is typically lower than CPI inflation due to differences in how the largest price changes are treated and to how the prices are weighted.

Figure 2. Decomposing price changes: Decreases due to sales, decreases due to other reasons and increases

Table 1. Regional trimmed mean inflation (per cent)

Note: Our measure of trimmed mean inflation excludes 5 per cent of the highest and lowest price changes. The level of trimmed mean inflation is typically lower than CPI inflation due to differences in how the largest price changes are treated and to how the prices are weighted.

Notes for editors:

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