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Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE’S inflation marginally thawed but remained in the negative in the month of March as the annual inflation rate gained 0.19 percentage points to -1,20 percent. Figures from the Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency show that the annual rate of inflation for March improved slightly from -1,40 percent in February.

“This means that prices as measured by the all-items CPI decreased by an average of 1.20 percentage points between March 2014 and March 2015,” Zimstat said.

The inflation rate measures a broad rise or fall in prices that consumers pay for a standard basket of goods. Zimbabwe entered deflation in February last year as liquidity conditions tightened while aggregate demand kept declining due to lower disposable incomes.

Some economic analysts, however, believe the deflationary period is temporary as it is a gradual climb down from dollar-induced inflation the economy went through after adopting multi-currencies.

The year-on-year food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation stood at -2,77 percent while non-food inflation rate was -0,44 percent.

The month on month inflation rate in March 2015 was -0,03 percent, gaining 0.04 percentage points on the February 2015 rate of -0,07 percent

Zimstat said the month on month Food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation rate stood at -0,03 percent in March 2015, shedding 0.08 percentage points on the February 2015 rate of 0,05 percent while the non-food inflation rate stood at -0,03 percent, gaining 0.10 percentage points on the February rate of -0,13 percent.