JAKARTA : Indonesia’s inflation rate eased in October but remained above the central bank’s target range for five straight months, statistics bureau data showed on Tuesday, against market expectations for a slight acceleration.

The headline annual inflation rate cooled to 5.71 per cent in October, compared with 5.95 per cent in September and 5.99 per cent forecast in a Reuters poll. Bank Indonesia targets inflation within a range of 2 per cent to 4 per cent.

The annual core inflation rate, which excludes government-controlled prices and volatile food prices, picked up pace last month to 3.31 per cent, from 3.21 per cent in September. The poll had expected 3.40 per cent.