CEE ECONOMY — Polish September inflation slightly above flash estimate at 4.1%

WARSAW, Oct 14 (Reuters) — Polish inflation in September was slightly higher than indicated by the preliminary estimate, data released by the statistics office on Wednesday showed. Inflation rose to 4.1% year-on-year, compared with the previously reported 4.0%. Month-on-month, the rate of price growth was 0.7%, matching the preliminary reading The final data confirmed that higher fuel prices, driven by the energy shock linked to the conflict in the Middle East, remained the main factor pushing inflation higher However, analysts said that rising fuel prices are not yet spilling over into the broader economy and that the government’s fuel price-capping programme will help slow inflation to around 3.5% — the upper limit of the inflation target "(That) gives the Monetary Policy Council an argument not to rush into raising interest rates. In our opinion, until the first quarter of 2027," ING analysts wrote in a commentary. (Reporting by Pawel Florkiewic. Editing by Mark Potter) ((pawel.florkiewicz@thomsonreuters.com; +48 22 6539700; Reuters Messaging: pawel.florkiewicz.reuters.com@reuters.net)