The Consumer inflation, excluding interest on mortgage bonds (CPIX), eased down to 4% in December 2003 as compared to 4,1% in November last year, Statistics South Africa reported today. The annual increase of 4% in CPIX is attributed to increases in the price indices for housing, excluding interest on mortgage bonds (+1,1%), medical care and health (+0,6%), food (+0,5%), household operations and education (+0.,5 and 0,4% respectively). However, the annual increases were slightly counteracted by annual decreases in the price indices for "other" products such as recreation and entertainment, clothing and footwear. Stats SA said that the official overall CPIX inflation rate for 2003 was 6,8% as compared to 9,3% for 2002 and 6,6% in 2001. The South African Reserve Bank uses the CPIX to measure its inflation target, which is between 3 to 6%. Stats SA reported that the headline inflation rate - Consumer Price Index (CPI) - was 0,3% last month as compared to 0,4% in November last year. The lower annual rate is attributed to decreases in the annual rates of change in CPI for housing, whose rate decreased from 9,1% in November to 9,6% in December and CPI for food (decreased from 3,2 to 2,6 in December). Stats SA also announced that the official overall CPI inflation rate is 5,8% for the year 2003 as compared to 9,2% in 2002 and 5,7% in 2001. – BuaNews.