Johannesburg - South Africa's headline consumer inflation edged up to 5.4% year-on-year (y/y) in December, slightly below market expectations, from 5.3% in November, Statistics South Africa said on Wednesday.
On a month-on-month (m/m) basis, CPI quickened to 0.3% compared with 0.1% in November.
Economists surveyed by Reuters expected a y/y rate of 5.5% and 0.4% month-on-month.
Core inflation, which excludes the prices of food, non-alcoholic beverages, petrol and energy, was steady at 5.3% y/y but edged up to 0.3% on a m/m basis.
Stats SA said the annual headline CPI average for 2013 ticked up to 5.7%, compared with 5.6% the previous year.
On a month-on-month (m/m) basis, CPI quickened to 0.3% compared with 0.1% in November.
Economists surveyed by Reuters expected a y/y rate of 5.5% and 0.4% month-on-month.
Core inflation, which excludes the prices of food, non-alcoholic beverages, petrol and energy, was steady at 5.3% y/y but edged up to 0.3% on a m/m basis.
Stats SA said the annual headline CPI average for 2013 ticked up to 5.7%, compared with 5.6% the previous year.