Inflation steady at 4 percent in Nov

The overall consumer prices rose by 4.3 percent in November over the same month a year earlier — the same as in October. Netting out the effect of the government’s one-off relief measures, the year-on-year rate of increase in the Composite Consumer Price Index (CPI) in November was 4.0 percent — the same as in October. A government spokesman said that the increases in prices for many components in the underlying Composite CPI remained moderate, with the private housing rental component easing slightly. Looking ahead, lower imported inflation and the moderate increases in residential rentals since early 2013 should help contain price rises in the short term.