Japan's annual core inflation index rose in September but is still halfway to the Bank of Japan's target of 2%, underscoring the challenges of achieving price stability in the context of trade conflicts affecting economic prospects.
The rate of increase was the fastest in seven months, due to the increase in the cost of oil with the increase of most other items slightly. The consumer price index, which excludes fresh food prices nationwide, rose by 1%, in line with market expectations following a 0.9% rise in August.
The core consumer price index excluding food and energy prices, the most watched measure, rose by 0.4% in September, the same as the previous month. Inflation data will be among the factors that Bank of Japan will review at the meeting by the end of this month.
