Figures released from the National Statistics Office show that in June, the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices went up by 0.5 per cent over the previous month.

This primarily reflected an increase of 3.8 per cent in the Restaurants and Hotels Index due to seasonally higher prices for accommodation services. Costlier air fares caused the Transport Index to go up by 0.7 per cent. The Furniture, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House Index registered an increase of 0.5 per cent, mainly due to an upward movement in the price of furniture and furnishings. Price rises in materials for the maintenance and repair of dwellings underlay an increase of 0.1 per cent in the Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels Index. A similar upward move was recorded in the Health Index and in the Recreation and Culture Index due to a small increase in prices of pharmaceutical products and higher-priced package tours, respectively.

The Communication Index declined by 2.0 per cent, mainly due to cheaper internet services. The Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages Index went down by 0.9 per cent as a result of lower fruit prices. A similar downward move was registered in the Clothing and Footwear Index on account of seasonal reductions in the prices of garments. The Miscellaneous Goods and Services Index registered a fall of 0.2 per cent, mostly brought about by lower-priced jewellery items.

In June, the twelve-month moving average rate of inflation stood at 2.8 per cent, whereas the annual rate of inflation stood at 3.1 per cent.

Permalink: June’s Index of Consumer Prices up on previous month