Turkish September monthly inflation at 1.84%, below forecast

ISTANBUL, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Turkish consumer price inflation was 1.84% month-on-month in September, below expectations, while the annual figure was 29.73%, data from the Turkish Statistical Institute showed on Monday.

In a Reuters poll, monthly inflation was forecast to be 2.3% in September, led by high energy prices because of the ongoing Middle East conflict and seasonal back-to-school repricing, and annual consumer price inflation was seen at 30.3%.

September inflation was driven largely by a seasonal 14.2% rise in education costs linked to the start of the academic year, alongside increases in clothing, transportation and housing prices, while food prices declined slightly.

In August, monthly consumer price inflation was 1.84% and the annual rate was 31.51%.

Turkey's central bank kept its year-end interim inflation target at 24% while raising its year-end inflation forecast to 28% in its latest inflation report published in August.

Last month, the central bank kept its key interest rate at 37% as expected, holding steady for a fifth consecutive meeting in what was widely seen as its last pause before a monetary easing cycle begins later this year.

Previously, JP Morgan said it expected September data to signal that the underlying trend of inflation is decelerating and make way for a rate cut at the October MPC meeting.

Monday's data also showed the domestic producer index rose 2.07% month-on-month in September for an annual increase of 27.38%.