In March, headline inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), fell further, to 8.0 percent from 8.2 percent in February, continuing the downward trend of the previous two months. Inflation fell across a broad range of commodity groups including: food (from 8.9 to 8.8 percent); clothing and footwear (from 9.6 percent to 9.5 percent): housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (from 9.7 percent to 8.8 percent); furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance (from 9.1 percent to 8.3 percent); health (from 6.3 percent to 6.2 percent); transport (from 11.6 percent to 11.5 percent); communication (from -5.4 percent to -5.5 percent); recreation and culture (from 6.9 percent to 6.2 percent); and miscellaneous goods and services (from 4.1 percent to 4.0 percent). This was partially offset by increases in inflation for alcohol and tobacco (from 5.3 percent to 5.4 percent); education (from 6.3 percent to 6.4 percent) and restaurants and hotels (from 8.4 percent to 9.1 percent).

The trimmed mean measure of core inflation declined from 7.8 percent in February to 7.6 percent, while inflation excluding administered prices also fell, from 7.2 percent to 7.0 percent.