Thailand\\\'s inflation continues to ease

Thailand's consumer prices eased further for the third consecutive month in August, leading some economists to predict that the country's central bank will keep its interest rate unchanged at least for the rest of the year. The headline consumer-price index rose 2.09% year-over-year in August, compared with a 2.16% increase in July, the Ministry of Commerce said Monday. August's headline CPI, however, shrank 0.08% from July. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, increased 1.83% from a year earlier in August--up marginally from the 1.81% recorded in the preceding month. On month, core CPI edged up 0.09%. The latest figure remains within the Bank of Thailand's target range of 0.5% to 3.0%. ‘The August inflation figures for Thailand confirm two dynamics. First, price control measures are working, as evidenced by subdued food and energy inflation. Second, domestic demand is recovering, as evidenced by core inflation remaining firm,’ said Weiwen Ng, an economist at ANZ Research in Singapore. During the first eight months of 2014, Thailand's CPI rose 2.21% from a year earlier while core CPI increased 1.54% from last year. The Commerce Ministry maintains its 2014 inflation estimate at 2.0%-2.8%, according to marketwatch.com