MANILA, Sept 4 (Reuters) - The Philippines' annual inflation
eased to 2.4% in August, the slowest in three months, driven by
a deceleration in price increases for the heavily-weighted food
and non-alcoholic beverage index, the statistics agency said on
Friday.
Last month's headline figure PHCPI=ECI was below the low
end of the central bank's forecast range of 2.5% to 3.3% for the
month, and the median 2.8% estimate in a Reuters' poll.
Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and fuel
prices, was 3.1%, versus 3.3% in July PHCPXY=ECI .