Figures released in the Asian session this morning, Wednesday, August 30, from the Australian Institute of Statistics (ABS) showed that the consumer price index, which measures inflation in Australia, increased by 4.9% on an annual basis in July, compared to 5.4% in June, which came below expectations that indicated a slowdown by 5.2%, while it rose

The main index, from which the volatile elements are excluded, fuel and food increased by 5.8%, compared to 6.1% in June. In the details, the most important increases in the index came from an increase in housing prices by 7.3%, driven by an increase in rent costs and new housing, while inflation in food prices slowed to 5.6% from 7%, and electricity prices increased by 15.7% from 10.2%.