Input price inflation for British manufacturers slowed more than expected in April after a sharp rise in the previous month, official data showed today.
The figures may ease policymakers' concern about a build-up of price pressures at the start of the inflation pipeline, particularly after data last month showed consumer price inflation running at its highest in more than a decade.
The Office for National Statistics said input prices rose 0.7 per cent in April, less than the 1 per cent forecast, after a 1.2 per cent rise in March.
That pushed the year-on-year rate into negative territory, at -0.3 per cent against forecasts of a flat reading.
British factory gate inflation eased to 2.5 per cent on the year earlier, as expected, from 2.7 per cent in March.
Core output price inflation slowed more than expected to 2.4 per cent on a year earlier, from 2.7 per cent in March.
On the month, core output prices rose 0.1 per cent, their weakest since December and below forecasts of a 0.3 per cent rise