Doha:Australia's annual inflation rate increased to 4% in August 2026, up from 3.5% in July, based on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

According to Qatar News Agency, the latest inflation figure came in slightly below economists' forecasts of 4.1%, representing the highest level in three months and surpassing the Reserve Bank of Australia's target range of 2% to 3%.

Housing costs saw inflation rise to 5.7% from 5.0% in July, while transport inflation grew to 5.6% from 1.6%. This increase was attributed to higher automotive fuel prices and the reversal of federal government fuel excise relief measures in August.

The trimmed mean Consumer Price Index (CPI), a measure that excludes volatile items, remained steady at 3.6% year-on-year, matching forecasts and marking its highest level since September 2024.

On a monthly basis, the CPI grew by 0.4%, which was lower than the expected 0.5% increase and down from the 1.0% rise recorded in July.