CPI inflation rose by a large amount (0.6%) for the second month running and is now at 2.1%. The main drivers of the increase from April were Clothing and footwear and Recreation and Culture. Women’s clothing showed some very large increases. The current high levels of monthly inflation are unlikely to be sustained and are due to recovery of some prices from low levels in the first lockdown and short-run adjustment and supply-chain issues. Inflation will continue to increase until it peaks in early 2022 and then comes down again. The peak may be above 3% but is unlikely to exceed 4%. The high level of inflation in the US is driven by very different factors to UK inflation and we do not expect UK inflation to “catch up” with the high levels of US inflation
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