The rate of growth in consumer prices in Slovakia, measured according to national methodology, accelerated from 0.4 percent in November to 0.5 percent in December. Last year's average annual inflation thus represented 1.6 percent, down 0.1 point from the average of the previous eleven months, the Statistics Office of the Slovak Republic reported on January 12.
In a year-on-year comparison, the prices grew fastest in health-care services, by 7.1 percent; alcoholic beverages and tobacco, both by 6.6 percent; and in education, by 4.7 percent. Prices for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels also went up, by 3 percent; hotel, cafe, and restaurant prices rose by 2.4 percent.
On the other hand, prices fell for food and soft drinks by 5.1 percent; for furniture, household equipment and maintenance by 3.8 percent; and for clothing and footwear by 2.4 percent. On a month-on-month basis, consumer prices in December decreased compared with November by 0.1 percent, while in November they increased from October by 0.3 percent.
Core inflation, which monitors consumer prices without regulated prices and administrative interventions into prices via taxes was minus 0.2 percent in December.
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
