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<\/p>\nInflation remained stuck at 6.7 per cent last month amid fears the Israel crisis could put fresh pressure on prices.<\/p>\n
The headline CPI rate came in at the same level as August, with easing food and drink cost offset by higher petrol and diesel prices.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Hunt insisted inflation is still on track to halve this year as Rishi Sunak has promised, saying the government must ‘stick to the plan’.<\/p>\n
However, ministers and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) cautioned that escalation of the chaos in the Middle East could push up energy costs.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
The figure was marginally worse than the 6.6 per cent analysts had expected, although core inflation did dip slightly. The fall in the Ofgem price cap could mean a drop in CPI this month.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
It leaves the Bank of England’s next interest rate decision on a knife edge, despite hopes that the pain for Brits might have peaked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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The headline CPI rate came in at the same level as August, with easing food and drink cost offset by higher petrol and diesel prices<\/p>\n
Mr Hunt said: ‘As we have seen across other G7 countries, inflation rarely falls in a straight line, but if we stick to our plan then we still expect it to keep falling this year.<\/p>\n
‘Today’s news just shows this is even more important so we can ease the pressure on families and businesses.’<\/p>\n
ONS chief economist Grant Fitzner said: ‘After last month’s fall, annual inflation was unchanged in September.<\/p>\n
‘Food and non-alcoholic drinks prices eased again across a range of items with the cost of household appliances and air fares also falling this month.<\/p>\n
‘These were offset by rising prices for motor fuels and the cost of hotel stays.’<\/p>\n
Mr Fitzner\u00a0told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme it was ‘not unusual’ for falls in inflation to be patchy.<\/span><\/p>\n
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