Lesotho Inflation Rate

The annual inflation rate in Lesotho slowed to 7.3% in February 2024, down from January’s 15-month high of 8.2%, primarily due to a slowdown in the prices of food & non-alcoholic beverages (9.1% vs 11.7% in January). Additional downward pressure came from alcohol & tobacco (17.9% vs 22.6%), clothing & footwear (7.5% vs 8.3%), housing & utilities (4.9% vs 5%), furnishings, household equipment & maintenance (6.4% vs 11.2%), health (7.3% vs 11.7%), recreation & culture (0.8% vs 5.9%), and miscellaneous goods & services (4.3% vs 6.8%). Conversely, costs rose for transport (5.1% vs 4.5%) and education (13.8% vs 13.7%), while fell at a softer pace for restaurants & hotels (-0.5% vs -10.1%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices showed no increase in February, following a 0.9% rise in the prior month.