UK inflation rises to 3.5% in March Consumer prices rose in March for the first time in five months, driven higher by increases in the costs of a range of goods including fresh food and clothing. The Consumer Price Index rose to 3.5 per cent in March from 3.4 per cent the previous month, the Office for National Statistics said on Tuesday. Prices for clothing and footwear - especially women's outerwear - rose particularly sharply. The ONS said that the 2.2 per cent rise in this category was a record for this month of the year, even though prices for these goods do generally rise between February and March. Rising transport costs also contributed to the higher CPI, with a rise in the price of petrol rose of 3.3p a litre to produce what the ONS said was a record level of about £1.38 a litre. The Retail Price Index, a broader measure of inflation that does not take account of consumers" ability to switch to cheaper goods as prices rise, fell in March, recording a year on year rate of 3.6 per cent, down from 3.7 per cent the previous month. "The downward trend in UK inflation came to a halt in March, although this should be only temporary," said Vicki Redwood, economist at Capital Economics. Howard Archer, economist at IHS Global Insight noted that inflation hit a 15-month low in February, but that the latest data suggest overall inflation may not fall to the Bank of England's central 2.0 per cent target by the end of the year. "While inflation still seems likely to eventually trend down appreciably further, there is a very real danger that it will prove sticky over the next few months as high oil prices impact," Mr Archer said. Several economists said that the rise in inflation, although in line with forecasts, could complicate matters for the Bank of England's interest rate setting body when it meets in early May. If it concludes that economic activity is so weak that further monetary stimulus would be wise, it will have to weigh that against the risk of a further rise in inflation. George Buckley, economist at Deutsche Bank, noted that there may be some seasonal distortions that are leading to a rise in inflation. In March 2011, for example, food and drink prices fell fairly sharply as supermarkets reported that consumers were tightening their belts. In March 2012, prices in this category fell by 0.5 per cent, far less than the 1.5 per cent of a year earlier. The ONS said recreation has helped subdue the headline inflation rate, with a sharp fall in the price of photographic, cinematographic and optical equipment of 6.1 per cent this year. But boosting inflation were increases in housing and household services, mostly reflecting higher prices for gas, electricity and rent