Janus Henderson: UK inflation - temporary reprieve

Annual CPI inflation fell from 2.9% (2.87% before rounding) in May to 2.6% (2.64%) in June. Lower motor fuels inflation accounted for 11 basis points of the decline (i.e. about half) with the remainder due to “core” components.

CPI inflation averaged 2.74% in the second quarter, above the MPC’s forecasts of 2.65% and 2.43% in the May and February Inflation Reports respectively. The overshoot would have been larger but for a lower crude oil price than the MPC assumed.

Reasons for expecting inflation to reach 3.0% later in 2017 include:

1)    Despite a slower monthly gain in June, core* prices rose at a seasonally adjusted annualised rate of 3.0% in the latest three months from the previous three – see first chart. Annual core inflation of 2.4% in June would rise to 2.9% in October if this pace of increase were to be sustained.  

2)    Annual core** producer output price inflation rose to 2.9% in June and usually peaks ahead of core CPI inflation, i.e. it also suggests a further increase in the core CPI rate – second chart.

 3)    The headline / core gap is likely to remain positive and may widen, reflecting stronger food price inflation and a stabilisation of energy inflation after a recent slowdown (assuming stable crude energy costs). CPI food inflation rose further to 2.6% in June but is significantly lower than would be expected based on historical relationships with producer output price inflation for food products (5.8% in June) and the annual increase in the FAO’s global food commodity price index, expressed in sterling (19% in June, down from a peak of 36% in January) – third chart.  

*Excluding energy, food, alcohol, tobacco and education, and adjusted for the estimated impact of VAT changes.
**Excluding food, beverages, tobacco and petroleum.