Brazil Inflation Eases To 4.62%, Lowest In 4 Months

(RTTNews) - Brazil's consumer price inflation eased for the third straight month in December to the lowest level in four months, figures from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, or IBGE, showed on Thursday.

The consumer price index climbed 4.62 percent year-over-year in December, following a 4.68 percent rise in November. Economists had expected inflation to moderate to 4.54 percent.

Moreover, inflation remained within the central bank's upper tolerance band of 4.75 percent.

Transport charges grew by 7.14 percent annually in December, and those for healthcare and personal care rose by 6.58 percent. Costs for food and drinks increased only 1.03 percent.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices moved up 0.56 percent in December, following a 0.28 percent rise in the previous month. The expected increase was 0.48 percent.