The National Bank of Kazakhstan expects decrease of inflation in February

/IRBIS, Feb.07, 00/ - REUTERS cites the Grigory Marchenko, head of the National Bank statement at press conference. According to him, the National Bank of Kazakhstan expects the inflation rate in February will considerably decrease in comparison with January. For last week the Consumer Price Index was not changed. The inflation in Kazakhstan in January 2000 has made 2.6% in comparison with 1.7% in December 1999. According to Marchenko, the rise in prices in January was stipulated by seasonal increase of the tenges offer in the end of the previous year. "Export has increased in dollar expression, the taxes collection was good, and the pensions and social allowances indebtedness are completely paid off. But as the large part of payments was made within three weeks of December, it has resulted in the large growth of cash supply and hence increase of the January's inflation to 2.6%", - has told Marchenko. According to the data of Statistics Agency of Kazakhstan, inflation in 1999 has made 17.8% in comparison with 1.9% in 1998.