Inflation in Sri Lanka hits new record

Sri Lanka's inflation hit a seventh consecutive record high in April as a petrol shortage worsened and food prices rose sharply, official data showed Monday.

The National Consumer Price Index rose 33.8 per cent year-on-year in April, more than six times the 5.5 per cent inflation of a year earlier. Annual food inflation stood at 45.1 per cent, according to the latest data released by the Department of Census and Statistics.

Hammered by a foreign exchange crisis, the country's 22 million people have been enduring acute shortages of essentials -- including food and medicines -- for months.

Protests are continuing outside President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's office demanding his resignation over the unprecedented economic turmoil.

Inflation is likely to rise further in May as fuel price hikes of 35 per cent for petrol and 65 per cent for diesel -- commonly used in public transport -- feed into the wider economy.