*
Inflation rose to 7.0% yr/yr in February from 6.9% in
January
*
Power cuts in South Africa may be fuelling price hikes
-analyst
*
Central bank targets inflation of between 3%-6%
(Adds analyst comment)
By Bhargav Acharya
JOHANNESBURG, March 22 (Reuters) - South Africa's
inflation rose slightly more than expected in February, a
further indication that rolling power cuts nationwide may be
fuelling price pressures, data showed on Wednesday.
South Africa's headline consumer inflation rose to 7.0%
year-on-year in February from 6.9% in January, Statistics South
Africa said.
On a month-on-month basis, consumer inflation was at 0.7% in
February compared to -0.1% in the previous month.
Analysts polled by Reuters had predicted the year-on-year
figure to come in at 6.9% and month on month at 0.6%.
South Africa has been dealing with rotational power cuts on
a daily basis, hampering businesses and economic growth in
Africa's most industrialised economy.
"The rise... may be a sign that the intensification of
loadshedding (power cuts) in recent months is fuelling price
pressures," Capital Economics said in a research note.
The South African Reserve Bank targets inflation of between 3% and 6%.
The central bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) raised rates by a smaller than forecast 25 basis points in January as it lowered its economic growth forecasts over the crippling power cuts.
The bank, which has raised interest rates at its last eight monetary policy meetings to tame inflation, said inflation is expected to sustainably fall to the midpoint of its target range by the fourth quarter of 2024.
"So long as renewed fears about the global banking system do not flare up, the Reserve Bank will almost certainly press ahead with a final 25 basis points interest rate hike at next week's MPC meeting," the note added. Market focus will be on the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy meeting, which will end later in the day, with investors awaiting clarity on the path the U.S. central bank could take in the wake of a global banking turmoil. Core inflation, which excludes prices of food, non-alcoholic beverages, fuel and energy, was at 5.2% year on year in February, from 4.9% the previous month.
On a month-on-month basis core inflation was at 0.8% in February, compared to 0.2% in January. (Additional reporting by Rachel Savage; Editing by James Macharia Chege and Bernadette Baum)
