Malaysian Inflation Remains Steady At 2.0%

(RTTNews) - Malaysia's consumer price inflation remained stable in June after rising slightly in the previous month, data from the Department of Statistics showed on Wednesday.

The consumer price index, or CPI, climbed 2.0 percent year-on-year in June, the same as in May. Meanwhile, economists had expected inflation to rise to 2.2 percent.

Utility costs grew at a stable rate of 3.2 percent annually in June, while the yearly growth in health costs eased to 1.8 percent from 2.2 percent.

Data showed that prices for food and beverages rose at a faster pace of 2.0 percent versus 1.8 percent in May. Clothing and footwear prices were 0.1 percent less expensive.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices moved up 0.2 percent in June, after a 0.3 percent increase in the prior month.