South Africa’s inflation rate eases slightly in January

JOHANNESBURG, Feb 18 (Reuters) – South Africa’s headline consumer inflation ​slowed to 3.5% ‌year on year in January, down from 3.6% in December, ‌data ​from ⁠the statistics agency ⁠showed on Wednesday.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected annual ​inflation would come in at ⁠3.4% in ⁠January.

South Africa’s central ​bank kept its ​repo rate unchanged at ‌6.75% at its last monetary policy meeting in ⁠January, saying it wanted to see inflation expectations ⁠fall ‌further and citing ⁠potential price ​pressures ‌including electricity tariffs.

The ​bank’s next ⁠policy announcement is due on March 26.

(Reporting by Anathi Madubela;Editing by Alexander ​Winning)