Taiwan December CPI grows below forecast

TAIPEI: Taiwan's consumer price index fell 0.31% in 2015 to mark its lowest rate of change since 2009, allowing room for the central bank to continue its loose monetary policy, an analyst said on Wednesday.

For December, the index rose 0.14% year on year, the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics said. It was below the 0.49% expected by analysts and 0.53% posted in November.

The index declined in each of the year's first eight months, mostly due to the global oil price slump. However, it has returned to positive territory gradually from September through December.

?The central bank is mostly focused on economic growth right now as consumer prices have been mild," said Tony Phoo, economist at Standard Charted in Taipei. "Its monetary policy has been loose, and it will continue."

The CPI rose 1.2% in 2014, the directorate said. - Reuters