CANADA

摘要

Following a 50 basis-point interest rate cut on April 22, the Bank of Canada is now facing rising inflation readings coupled with weaker GDP growth. Headline consumer price inflation jumped from 0.4% (m-o-m) in March to 0.8% in April on the backof higher prices for energy and food. Furthermore, core inflation (stripped of volatile components) edged up slightly in m-o-m terms, bringing its y-o-y rate up to 1.5%. Our panel's forecast for headline CPI in 2008 has been upgraded this month to 2.0%. Moreover, bubbling price pressures prompted the central bank to keep rates unchanged on June 10 (after our survey date).