Monthly consumer price inflation (inflation)

Last month's value

Monthly consumer price inflation (inflation)

CBA Commentary
Consumer price growth accelerated to 2.5% y/y in October 2025 from 2.3% in September. It is thus near the middle of the upper tolerance band of the CNB's 2% inflation target.
Data released in October show core inflation firming to 2.8% y/y, up from 2.8% in the previous month.
Consumer price growth was running at a 2.8% annual rate a year ago, compared with 2.4% for core inflation. They averaged 2.4% y/y for CPI and 2.5% y/y for core inflation in 2024, compared to the CNB's inflation target of 2%.
Source of primary data
CZSO, CNB ARAD
Note
Data unadjusted for seasonal effects.
The CNB's inflation target is given only for headline inflation since 2002.Before this date, the CNB had been targeting net inflation since 1998. See https://www.cnb.cz/cs/menova-politika/inflacni-cil/historie-inflacnich-cilu-cnb/ for more details.
Category
Economics
Data frequency
Monthly
Comments
October consumer inflation at 2.5% and continued rise in unemployment keep CNB on tenterhooks
Comment by Jaromír Šindel, Chief Economist of the CBA: October consumer inflation not only confirmed a more pronounced shock from higher food prices, but also showed higher prices of transport services and prices of means of transport as part of core inflation. In the longer term, it is worth noting that imputed rental prices have already caught up with the previous inflation shock, and the same has been true for a few months for holiday prices. Thus, the higher October inflation and unemployment data will not help the central bank or the market resolve its dilemma of the next interest rate move.
Tighter monetary conditions left the CNB's options open. The CNB's new forecast paves the way for more cautious communication in the rest of the year
Comment by Jaromír Šindel, Chief Economist of the CBA: The CNB is waiting for a new impulse. The CNB is waiting for the new government to announce its plans, both from the data and from future analysis of the new government's upcoming plans. The CNB's own outlook, with more moderate consumer price growth at the end of the year and a stronger economy in real terms in Q3, opens up the possibility of more hawkish communication in the rest of the year. But I believe the CNB will wait to reassess its communication until the contours of the new government's policy are clearer.
Higher food prices pushed October consumer inflation back to 2.5% growth, keeping the CNB on higher alert
Comment by Jaromír Šindel, Chief Economist of the CBA: The return of consumer price inflation to 2.5% in October will keep the CNB vigilant. Although this was due to higher food prices, the current core inflation rate remains slightly above the inflation target, which will probably be evident next spring. Although selected plans of the new coalition will help to further tame price rises, others are more likely to maintain an inflationary undercurrent in the economy.
Softer September inflation gives CNB room to wait for government formation
Comment by Jaromír Šindel, Chief Economist of the CBA: Lower food prices, a seasonal decline in holiday prices and a slight catch-up in education prices contributed to September's more moderate consumer price growth of 2.3%, which, however, reminds us of possible price catch-up in other segments next year as well (see Chart 4).
September's more pronounced slowdown in inflation brings relief after a mildly inflationary general election result
Comment by Jaromír Šindel, Chief Economist of the CBA: The more pronounced slowdown in September consumer price growth to 2.3% year on year reflects a decline in most components of the consumer basket. There are three messages for the CNB that are likely to leave the CNB's communication unchanged, i.e. open to all interest rate possibilities.
September CNB interest rate decision: hawkish calm before the storm?
Commentary by Jaromír Šindel, Chief Economist of the CBA: Higher-than-expected wage growth will be the main, but not the only, reason for keeping the interest rate at 3.5% at the CNB's September meeting and for the intensification of the hawkish tone in the communication. The latter may indeed indicate a further upward movement in the interest rate, but rather in an unspecified distant horizon. A stronger koruna or tighter monetary policy through the longer end of the yield curve is unlikely to lead the CNB to a dovish mindset.