NBU commented on the inflation rate in March 2017.
The National Bank reports that in March 2017, the consumer inflation accelerated up to 15.1% on the yearly basis (from 14.2% on the yearly basis in February). On a monthly basis, the increase of consumer price index was 1.8%, as it is evidenced by the data, published by the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, Finance.UA reports.
NBU reports that the acceleration of inflation on a yearly basis was expected. The inflation of raw food products increased through the increase of production costs, the active export and the low base of comparison. It also impacted the scheduled raise of certain tariffs and excise duties.
Instead, the improvement of situation on global commodity markets, which caused the strengthening of the exchange hryvnia rate in February and March, restrained the base inflation.
Alongside with that, the actual inflation on the yearly basis was lower than the track of the forecast of the National Bank, published in the Inflation reports (January 2017), which suggests the slowdown in CPI growth up to 9.1% by the end of 2017.
