Botswana’s national annual inflation kept the downward trend in November, dropping to 4.1 percent from 4.8 percent in October, and is expected to further remain low supposed factors remain favorable, Statistics Botswana (SB) has reported.
Data authority said that the inflation stood at as high as 7.4 percent during the same month in last year, but a downward trend was attributed to the movement of annual inflation rate to the stable prices of commodities especially the main components of transport, alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics and food and non-alcoholic beverages, which dropped by 7.9, 5.4 and 3.2 percentage points respectively.
“All-tradable inflation rate registered a decrease of 0. 9 percentage point from 5.0 percent in October to 4.1 percent in November”, Statistics said.
Meanwhile Botswana’s central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has concluded that the medium-term outlook for inflation is positive, with inflation forecast to remain within the 3 percent to 6 percent objective range.
“Weak domestic demand and the forecast benign external price developments contribute to the positive inflation outlook in the medium term, with the likelihood of a further fall in inflation in the short term”, the Monetary Policy said
This outlook, according to the Policy could be negatively affected by any unanticipated large increase in administered prices and government levies, as well as international food and oil prices increasing to levels beyond the current forecast,” said the Bank of Botswana said in a recent statement.
Botswana’s inflation eased from 5 percent in September 2013 to 4.8 percent in October, and was within the bank’s objective range.
