Australia’s inflation rate eases to 2.8 per cent in September quarter

Australia’s annual inflation rate has returned to the range targeted by the central bank, clocking in at 2.8 per cent in the September quarter.

The headline annual rate was down a whole percentage point from the June quarter and landed broadly in line with expectations.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics said this was the lowest annual inflation rate in more than three-and-a-half years.

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As expected, energy bill discounts and lower prices at the fuel pump weighed on the headline figure, with the quarterly rate of 0.2 per cent well below the one per cent rise in the quarter before.

ABS head of prices statistics Michelle Marquardt said the quarterly outcome was the lowest since the fall in June 2020 when childcare was made free during the pandemic.

The closely-watched trimmed mean, a measure of underlying inflation that crops away major price changes at either end, landed at 3.5 per cent annually.

This was in line with consensus forecasts and down from four per cent in the June quarter.

On a quarterly basis, the trimmed mean rose 0.8 per cent, following a rise of 0.9 per cent in the June quarter.

In headline terms, inflation is back within the Reserve Bank of Australia’s two to 3 per cent target range, but that does not necessarily mean it will start cutting interest rates at the next board meeting on Melbourne Cup day.

The central bank has been focused on the underlying measure, which remains outside the target band.

Most of Australia’s major banks do not expect easing to start until 2025.