[Breaking News] April Consumer Prices Rise 2.1%... 4th Consecutive Month in the 2% Range

April consumer prices continued to rise in the 2% range for the fourth consecutive month.

According to Statistics Korea on the 2nd, the April consumer price index was 116.38 (2020=100), up 2.1% from the same month last year.

The consumer price inflation rate maintained the 1% range from September to December last year, rose to 2.2% in January this year, recorded 2% in February, 2.1% in March, and remained in the 2% range through April.

Processed food prices rose 4.1%, contributing 0.35 percentage points (p) to the overall price increase.

Petroleum prices fell 1.7% due to recent declines in international oil prices.

Agricultural, livestock, and fishery product prices rose 1.5%, driven by noticeable increases in fishery and livestock products. Service prices rose 2.4%.

The index excluding food and energy rose 2.1%, returning to the 2% range for the first time in seven months, and the index excluding agricultural and petroleum products rose 2.4%. The fresh food index fell 1.9%.

Kim Soo-young, Hankyung.com reporter swimmingk@hankyung.com