Sri Lanka inflation eases to 5.1pc in October

COLOMBO, Oct 31 (LBO): Consumer inflation in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo slowed to 5.1 per cent in October 2011, from 6.4 per cent in September, the third straight monthly slowdown, the state statistics office said. The Colombo consumer price index slid 0.1 per cent to 151.5 points in October, from 151.7 in September. The 12-month moving average of the index also slowed to 7.1 per cent in October from 7.2 per cent in September 2011. The statistics department said all items of food and non food groups decreased by 0.1 per cent during the month. "The food items that experienced decreases in prices were most varieties of vegetables and fish and sea food due to more supply to Colombo from main producing areas," it said in a statement. "However, rice price has increased due to less supply from main producing areas during the month of October 2011." The department said there were price increases in the index sub categories of clothing and footwear, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, furnishing, household equipment and routine household maintenance.