CANADA JAN CPI +1.9% YOY VS PRIOR +1.8% ON Mortgages and GAS
Feb-18 13:30
CANADA JAN CPI +1.9% YOY VS PRIOR +1.8% ON MORTGAGES AND GAS
CORE RATES QUICKEN: MEDIAN 2.7% FROM 2.6%, TRIM 2.7% FROM 2.5%
CANADA JAN CPI +0.1% MOM FROM PRIOR -0.4%
CANADA DATA: Canada Jan CPI +1.9% YOY On Gasoline, Core Measures Accelerate
Feb-18 13:30
Canada Jan CPI +1.9% YOY from +1.8% in Dec despite the price drag from the 2-month tax holiday which started on Dec 14.
Jan CPI +0.1% MOM vs prior -0.4%.
BoC preferred core measures, which exclude the impact of indirect taxes, accelerated. Core median +2.7% from prior +2.6% and core trim +2.7% from +2.5%.
Headline acceleration led by mortgage interest costs (+10% YOY) and gasoline (+8.6%). Prices for new passenger vehicles +2.3% YOY in January vs +0.9% in Dec.
The tax holiday lowered inflation for some components. Food -0.6% YOY in Jan, the first yearly decline since May 2017 with food prices from restaurants a record -5.1%. Toys also -6.8%.
Excluding effect of the tax holiday, StatsCan said CPI would have been +2.7% YOY.
StatsCan said CPI for any tariffs will require no adjustments because their effect would be embedded in final prices the agency collects.
This is the last CPI report before BoC's interest rate decision meeting on March 12. Investors were split on whether the policy rate would be cut a seventh time in a row.