UK consumer price inflation slowed in April but the core rate accelerated unexpectedly, data from the Office for National Statistics showed on Wednesday.
The consumer price index registered an annual increase of 8.7 percent in April after a 10.1 percent gain in March. Inflation was forecast to ease to 8.3 percent.
Meanwhile, core inflation that excludes energy, food, alcoholic beverages and tobacco advanced to 6.8 percent in April from 6.2 percent in the previous month. The rate was forecast to remain unchanged at 6.2 percent.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices gained 1.2 percent but faster than the 0.8 percent rise in March.
Input price inflation hit its lowest level since February 2021 and factory gate inflation reached the weakest since July 2021, data showed.
Input prices grew only 3.9 percent in April after March's 7.3 percent increase. At the same time, input prices logged a monthly fall of 0.3 percent, reversing a 0.2 percent rise in March. Output price inflation slowed to 5.4 percent in April from 8.5 percent in the previous month. On a monthly basis, output prices remained flat for the second straight month.
