MANILA, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Philippine annual inflation was
1.7% in August, easing from a 2.4% climb in the previous month,
due to a drop in food and utility prices, the statistics agency
said on Thursday.
Economists in a Reuters poll had forecast inflation to ease
1.8% in August, which was within the central bank's 1.3%-2.1%
forecast for the month.