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Canada’s Inflation Climbs to 2.4% as Gas Prices Surge to Record High

  Canada’s inflation rate accelerated to 2.4% in March , up from 1.8% in February, as the Iran war triggered the largest monthly gasoline price increase on record . Statistics Canada reported that gas prices surged 21.2% month‑over‑month , a supply‑shock response to Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and broader Middle East instability.  Energy costs were the dominant driver of March inflation, with overall energy prices rising 3.9% year‑over‑year after a sharp decline the month before. Excluding gasoline, inflation would have eased to 2.2% , highlighting how concentrated the price shock was.  Food inflation offered mixed relief: grocery prices rose 4.4% , while fresh vegetables jumped 7.8% due to difficult growing conditions. Restaurant inflation cooled sharply as last year’s tax‑holiday distortions fell out of the annual comparison.  Economists note that while headline inflation spiked, core measures remained relatively tame , giving the Bank of Canada ro...

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Canada’s Inflation Eases to 2.3% in March, but Core Pressures Persist

Canada’s annual inflation rate unexpectedly slowed to 2.3% in March down from 2.6% in February, according to Statistics Canada. The decline was largely driven by lower gasoline and travel costs, which helped offset rising prices in other sectors.  

Despite the overall slowdown, core inflation measures remained elevated, signaling persistent underlying price pressures. The CPI-median, which tracks the central trend of price changes, held steady at 2.9%, while the CPI-trim, which excludes extreme price fluctuations, edged down slightly to 2.8%.  

The inflation report comes just ahead of the Bank of Canada’s monetary policy decision, scheduled for Wednesday. Analysts are closely watching whether the central bank will adjust interest rates in response to the latest data.  



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