The annual inflation of the 34 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries dropped to 2.5 percent in April this year, decreasing compared to 2.7 percent in March, according to new figures published on May 29. The figure reflects the lowest rate in almost one year. In February, inflation was recorded at 2.8 percent.
The OECD attributed the slowdown in the annual rate of inflation to slower growth in energy prices. Energy prices had shown a 12-month rise of 4.8 percent in April from 6.5 percent in March, slowing to its lowest rate since August 2010. Another factor was a slowing of the rise of food prices, which had increased by 3.1 percent in April from 3.5 percent in March. "Excluding food and energy, the annual inflation rate was broadly stable at 2.0 percent in April," the OECD said.
In the United Kingdom, inflation decelerated strongly to three percent in April from 3.5 percent recorded in March, while in the United States it dropped to 2.3 percent from 2.7 percent in the previous month. French inflation slowed to 2.1 percent in April from 2.3 percent in March, while inflation in Japan weakened to 0.4 percent from 0.5 percent in the previous month. Annual inflation decelerated in China to 3.4 percent in April, down from 3.6 percent in March.