British inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose to an 11-month high of 0.2 percent in December, from November's 0.1 percent, official figures said on Tuesday.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), movements in transport costs, particularly air fares and to a lesser extent motor fuels, were the main contributors to the rise in the rate. Meanwhile, downward pressures from prices for alcohol and tobacco along with food and non-alcoholic beverages partially offset the rise.
Although this is the first month since January 2015 for which the rate has exceeded 0.1 percent, this continues the trend since early 2015 of the rate being very close to zero.
Monthly inflation has been between -0.1 percent and 0.1 percent for the past 11 months, in large part because of the decline in oil prices and an intensely competitive environment for supermarkets keeping prices down.
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