Canada inflation rate dips in April, cost of travel services fall

[May 18, 2018]  OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's annual inflation rate cooled modestly in April as consumers paid less for travel services and as gasoline prices moderated, data from Statistics Canada showed on Friday.

A Canadian dollar coin, commonly known as the "Loonie", is pictured in this illustration picture taken in Toronto January 23, 2015. REUTERS/Mark Blinch/File Photo

The annual inflation rate was 2.2 percent, slightly short of economist expectations for 2.3 percent, though still above the Bank of Canada's 2 percent target.

Two out of three of the central bank's core inflation measures rose, leaving them at an average 2 percent.

The Bank of Canada has raised interest rates three times since last July and analysts expect to see at least one more hike this year.

Prices in the recreation component fell 0.2 percent from a year ago, driven by a drop in the cost of travel services. Annual gains in the transportation sector were also less than last month as gasoline prices were up 14.2 percent, pulling back from March's 17.1 percent increase.

Higher costs for clothing and food helped to offset the softness elsewhere.

(Reporting by Leah Schnurr; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

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