Annual inflation at -0.39%

In the month under review, the annual rate stood at -0.39 per cent.

A year earlier the annual rate was 1.88 per cent. The largest downward impacts on annual inflation were brought about by the Transport and Communication Index (-0.64 percentage points) and the Water, Electricity, Gas and Fuels Index (-0.64 percentage points). This was mainly due to lower airfares and electricity rates respectively.

The main upward impacts were recorded in the Recreation and Culture Index (0.33 percentage points), the Beverages and Tobacco Index (0.25 percentage points) and the Household Equipment and House Maintenance Costs Index (0.16 percentage points).

This was mainly due to higher prices of newspapers, cigarettes and furniture respectively. The twelve-month moving average rate was 0.80 per cent.