Philippines inflation eased to 1.4% in April, lower than expected

Inflation. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Inflation eased to 1.4 percent in April, from 1.8 percent in March, on the back of slower price increase in food and lower transport costs.

The April reading was better than the median estimate of 1.9 percent in an Inquirer poll of 10 economists last week. It also settled within the 1.3 to 2.1 percent forecast range of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for last month.

As it is, a benign inflation would give the BSP more room to further ease monetary policy settings. This can support economic growth at a time of tariff-induced global uncertainties.