Many experts say the latest inflation numbers are weak enough to encourage the Bank of Canada to hold off on any increase to its benchmark rate – at the next scheduled policy meeting on Wednesday.

The annual inflation rate moved higher last month – edging up 0.2 percentage points from August – to 1.6 per cent…largely driven by higher gasoline prices.

But only one of the central bank’s three preferred measures of core inflation – which cut through the static of more-volatile items, rose in September – while the others remained stationary.

All three are below the bank’s ideal target of 2.0 per cent.