MaltaMedia.com

In September 2011 the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices went down to 117.65 from 118.12 in August, a decrease of 0.4 per cent.

The National Statistics Office (NSO) said that this decrease primarily reflected a decrease of 3.0 per cent in the Restaurants and Hotels Index on account of seasonal price reductions in accommodation services. Cheaper air fares were the main cause behind a decrease of 2.7 per cent in the Transport Index.

The Communication Index also went down by 0.8 per cent on account of lower-priced mobile phones. The Furniture, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House Index registered a decrease of 0.2 per cent as a result of lower prices for certain furniture items.

On the other hand the Clothing and Footwear Index went up by 9.1 per cent due to seasonal price increases in garments. Higher prices for fruit resulted in a rise of 0.6 per cent in the Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages Index. An increase of 0.3 per cent was registered in the Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels Index, mainly on account of higher prices for materials used in the maintenance and repair of dwellings. An increase in the price of spirits brought about a rise of 0.2 per cent in the Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Index.

A similar increase was recorded in the Miscellaneous Goods and Services Index due to upward movements in the prices of satchels and handbags. The Health Index edged up by 0.1 per cent, mainly due to an increase in the fees charged for hospital services.

Furthermore in September, the twelve-month moving average rate of inflation stood at 2.8 per cent, whereas the annual rate of inflation stood at 2.7 per cent.