Australien Verbraucherpreise

Australia's annual inflation rate fell to 2.4% in Q4 2024 from 2.8% in Q3, less than the market consensus of 2.5%. It was the lowest reading since Q1 2021, as goods inflation sharply eased (0.8% vs 1.4% in Q3), mainly due to steep declines in prices of electricity (-25.2% vs -15.8%) and fuel (-7.9% vs -6.2%) amid the ongoing impact of Energy Bill rebates, along with a slower rise in new dwellings cost. Meantime, services inflation hit a three-quarter low (4.3% vs 4.6%). Notably, prices eased for food (3.0% vs 3.3%), alcohol and tobacco (6.2% vs 6.7%), clothing (1.3% vs 1.7%), housing (1.0% vs 2.8%), health (4.0% vs 4.8%), and insurance, financial services (5.4% vs 6.2%). In contrast, costs accelerated for recreation (3.3% vs 2.1%), education (6.5% vs 6.4%), and household services (1.5% vs 0.7%). The RBA's Trimmed Mean CPI rose 3.2% yoy, the slowest gain in three years, below forecasts of 3.3% but still surpassed the central bank's 2-3% target.