Lower prices for clothing, TV services, push down price index - NSO

The price index last month dropped to 113.63 from 113.72 in May, the NSO said.

It said that the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices went down by 0.1 per cent over the previous month. This primarily reflected a decrease of 1.9 per cent in the Clothing and Footwear Index due to a seasonal drop in the price of garments.

The Recreation and Culture Index decreased by 1.2 per cent, mainly due to lower fees for television services.

Cheaper prices in respect of fruit caused the Food and Non-alcoholic beverages Index to go down by 0.3 per cent.

The Furniture, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House Index dropped by 0.1 per cent, mainly on account of lower-priced major household appliances.

Cheaper cars caused a similar drop in the Transport Index, the NSO said.

The Restaurants and Hotels Index rose by 1.0 per cent due to higher prices for accommodation services. Upward shifts in the price of some jewellery items caused the Miscellaneous Goods and Services Index to go up by 0.4 per cent.

The Health Index went up by 0.2 per cent, mainly on account of higher fees for medical and paramedical services.

The twelve-month moving average rate of inflation in June stood at 0.7 per cent (from 0.8 in May), whereas the annual rate of inflation stood at 1.8 per cent, unchanged from May.