What is inflation and should you be worried about it?
Inflation is the rate at which prices for goods and services rise over time, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which recently showed a 4.6% increase over the past year in Australia. The rise is partly due to higher petrol prices linked to global events such as the war in Iran, and it affects household budgets and potential interest rate decisions by the Reserve Bank. While the latest CPI figure is slightly below expectations, underlying inflation remains above the Reserve Bank’s target, leading to uncertainty about whether interest rates will rise in the near term.
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What is inflation and should you be worried about it?EBy Emily StewartTopic:Personal Finance16m ago16 minutes agoThu 30 Apr 2026 at 2:34amEmily Stewart is an award-winning business and finance journalist. (ABC News: Jarrod Fankhauser)abc.net.au/news/what-is-inflation-cpi-explainer/106614880Link copiedShareShare articleHi, I'm ABC business journalist Emily Stewart, and I'm here to help you understand the latest inflation figures, which were released yesterday. 🤓It can be a worrying time as we see the effects of the war in Iran playing out here in Australia. I want to help you better understand the key moments in our economy that could affect your personal finances so you can make more informed decisions for you and your household.If you have a question for me, please reach out.
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