Economics
December Inflation Shock at 42.1% Adds to Zimbabwe's Woes
- Hyperinflation in 2008 was estimated at 500 billion percent
- Surge in fuel price led to strikes and protests this week
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Zimbabwean consumer prices rose at a new post-hyperinflation record pace in December, adding to the economic woes of a country that’s reeling from foreign-exchange and fuel shortages.
Inflation accelerated to 42.1 percent, from 31 percent in the previous month, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency said in a statement emailed Thursday. While that’s well below the 500 billion percent the International Monetary Fund estimated it reached in 2008, there are big price discrepancies depending on whether goods are paid for electronically or with banknotes, casting doubt on the official figure.