The consumer price index in March 2020 compared to February 2020 was 99.4%, i.e. the monthly inflation was -0.6%. The inflation rate since the beginning of the year (March 2020 compared to December 2019) has been 0.4% and the annual inflation in March 2020 compared to March 2019 was 3.0%. The annual average inflation, measured by CPI, in the last 12 months (April 2019 – March 2020) compared to the previous 12 months (April 2018 – March 2019) was 3.2%, the NSI said in a press release.
In March 2020 compared to the previous month the prices of goods and services in the main consumer groups changed as follows:
• Food and non-alcoholic beverages – an increase of 0.1%;
• Alcoholic beverages and tobacco – the prices remained at the level of the previous month;
• Clothing and footwear – a decrease of 1.5%;
• Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels – a decrease of 0.1%;
• Furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house – a decrease of 0.5%;
• Health – an increase of 0.1%;
• Transport – a decrease of 2.7%;
• Communications – a decrease of 1.3%;
• Recreation and culture – a decrease of 4.1%;
• Education – the prices remained at the level of the previous month;
• Restaurants and hotels – an increase of 0.3%;
• Miscellaneous goods and service – an increase of 0.1%.
The harmonized index of consumer prices in March 2020 compared to February 2020 was 99.5%, i.e. the monthly inflation was -0.5%. The inflation rate since the beginning of the year (March 2020 compared to December 2019) has been 0.0% and the annual inflation in March 2020 compared to March 2019 was 2.4%.
The annual average inflation, measured by HICP, in the last 12 months (April 2019 – March 2020) compared to the previous 12 months (April 2018 – March 2019) was 2.6%.
In terms of HICP, in March 2020 compared to the previous month the prices of goods and services in the main consumer groups changed as follows:
• Food and non-alcoholic beverages – an increase of 0.3%;
• Alcoholic beverages and tobacco – the prices remained at the level of the previous month;
• Clothing and footwear – a decrease of 1.3%;
• Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels – the prices remained at the level of the previous month;
• Furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house – a decrease of 0.8%;
• Health – an increase of 0.1%;
• Transport – a decrease of 1.6%;
• Communications – a decrease of 1.3%;
• Recreation and culture – a decrease of 1.7%;
• Education – the prices remained at the level of the previous month;
• Restaurants and hotels – a decrease of 0.2%;
• Miscellaneous goods and service – an increase of 0.2%.