Price index down 0.24% in August due to clothing sales

In August, the Retail Price Index went down by 0.24 per cent. This primarily reflected a decrease of 7.90 per cent in the Clothing and Footwear Index, mainly due to seasonally lower prices of garments. Cheaper audio-visual equipment was the main reason behind a drop of 0.42 per cent in the Recreation and Culture Index.

The Housing Index went down by 0.16 per cent, mainly due to discounted prices of certain types of tiling material. A decrease

of 0.12 per cent was registered in the Household Equipment and House Maintenance Cost Index, mainly as a result of price discounts in respect of household textiles.

Higher vegetable and fruit prices caused the Food Index to increase by 0.80 per cent. The Water, Electricity, Gas and Fuels Index went up by 0.35 per cent as a result of an upward movement in the price of gas. Costlier air transport services underlay an increase of 0.29 per cent in the Transport and Communication Index.

The Personal Care and Health Index rose by 0.13 per cent, mainly on account of higher-priced medical equipment. Higher wine prices caused the Beverages and Tobacco Index to edge up by 0.06 per cent.

In August the twelve-month moving average rate of inflation stood at 2.19 per cent, whereas the annual rate stood at 1.50 per cent.