Hungary's March annual inflation hits 15-year high at 8.5 pct

STORY: Hungary's March annual inflation hits 15-year high at 8.5 pct DATELINE: April 9, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:10 LOCATION: Budapest CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of car traffic 2. various of people buying food products in a butcher shop 3. various of people buying fruits and vegetables at a market 4. various of people eating at a restaurant STORYLINE: Hungary's annual inflation was 8.5 percent in March, up from 8.3 percent in February and the highest in 15 years, the country's Central Statistical Office (KSH) said on Friday. The figure was much higher than the official target of 3.0 percent set by the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) but met the expectations of analysts, who projected a rate of between 8.5 percent and 9.0 percent. "The increase over the past 12 months was the largest in food prices. In one month, consumer prices increased by 1.0 percent on average," KSH said. To ease the burden of inflation on the population, Hungary's government capped the prices of six basic food items in the midd