FX.co ★ UK Core Inflation Slightly Below Estimates

The UK’s annual core inflation rate inched up to 2.6% in May 2026, from April’s nearly five-year low of 2.5%, coming in just below market expectations of 2.7%. Core goods inflation slowed to 2.0% from 2.4%, while core services inflation quickened to 3.7% from 3.2%. On a monthly basis, core consumer prices rose 0.3%, down from a 0.7% increase in April and below the forecast of 0.4%, marking the smallest monthly gain since January.