Inflation rate hits six-month high
The annual rate of inflation edged up to six-month high of 2.5 per cent in April — despite a sharp fall in fuel and power prices and a plunge in the price of eggs.
The Consumer Price Index, published today by the Department of Statistics, showed that the biggest year-over-year price increases came in clothing and footwear (up 6.5 per cent), transport and foreign travel (up 5.2 per cent), and health and personal care (up 4.8 per cent).
Fuel and power was the one segment to see a dip in prices, with a 7.7 per cent fall from April 2025, driven by an 8 per cent drop in electricity prices.
Other drivers of the increase in the cost of living were food (up 4 per cent), education, recreation, entertainment and reading (up 2.7 per cent), rent (up 1.3 per cent), tobacco and liquor (up 1.4 per cent), and household goods, services and supplies (up 0.4 per cent).
Although the food prices rose overall, one of the most notable price movements was downwards, with the average price of a dozen eggs falling to $6.15 from $8.80 in April 2025.
The price of 20oz loaf of whole wheat bread climbed five cents year over year to $7.80, while a 3lb bag of apples rose to $10.25, up from $9.11 a year earlier.
The 2.5 per cent inflation rate measured by the CPI in April was up 0.1 of a percentage point from March and the highest rate recorded since the 2.6 per cent logged in November 2025.
The CPI measures price movements of a given quality and quantity of goods and services in a “shopping basket” structured into nine expenditure sectors.
• See the CPI April report under Related Media
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