The annual rate of inflation as measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices stood at 1.3 per cent in November from 0.6 per cent in November last year.

The NSO said the largest upward impacts on annual inflation were brought about by the Restaurants and Hotels Index (0.37 percentage points), the Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages Index (0.34 percentage points) and the Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Index (0.30 percentage points). These were mainly due to higher prices for restaurant services, vegetables and cigarettes respectively.

The main downward impacts were recorded in the Transport Index (0.31 percentage points) and the Communication Index (0.11 percentage points), mainly due to lower fuel prices and cheaper mobile phones respectively.

The twelve-month moving average rate was 1.1 per cent.