Japan's core consumer prices rise 2.7 pc in August

TOKYO: Japan's core consumer prices in August rose 2.7% from a year earlier, government data showed Friday.

The pace of increase in the nationwide consumer price index (CPI), which excludes volatile fresh food, slowed for the third consecutive month, following a 3.1% gain in July, amid lower energy costs, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

The key gauge of inflation stayed above the Bank of Japan's 2% goal but marked the slowest pace in nine months.

Core-core CPI, which strips away both volatile fresh food and fuel costs to show underlying price trends, rose 3.3% in August from a year earlier, compared with a 3.4% increase in July, the ministry said.

Food prices, excluding fresh items, climbed 8.0%, slowing from an 8.3% rise in July, while energy prices fell 3.3%, following a 0.3% decline.

By RSS/Xinhua