(Dec 31): South Korea’s consumer inflation stayed above the central bank’s target for a fourth straight month, even as price growth cooled slightly on slower increases in food and broader living costs. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy items, advanced at a 2% pace, matching the 2% clip in November, the data showed. Authorities warned earlier this month that strength in food prices could help push inflation above the projected path next year, even as underlying price pressure remains largely contained. The slowdown was led by easing costs for telecommunication, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products. What Bloomberg Economics says... “We expect CPI to stay elevated in the near term as a weaker won lifts import costs and keeps underlying pressures firm.

Source: The Edge Markets December 31, 2025 02:56 UTC