JAKARTA: Indonesia’s annual inflation rate eased to 3.61 percent in March, the statistics bureau said, against expectations for it to stay steady near February’s 3.83 percent pace. A Reuters poll had forecast an annual rate of 3.84 percent for March. Consumer prices fell 0.02 percent on a monthly basis in March, with those of rice, chilli and eggs declining, as did transportation fares.
Core inflation, which excludes administered and volatile food prices, decelerated to 3.30 percent in March. The poll had expected a rate of 3.51 percent. Indonesia’s central bank, which cut its key rate <IDCBRR=ECI> six times in 2016, targets annual inflation to be between 3 and 5 percent this year. Its next policy review is on April 19-20.
