Producer price indices for services, Q1 2009

Throughout 2008, the prices for business and management consultancy activities showed a decreasing growth. This trend is continuing in 2009. Compared with the last quarter of 2008, this quarter shows a growth of 0.1 per cent.

Continuous price growth for legal and accounting activities and architectural activities

The prices for accounting and auditing activities continue to increase. From the 1^{s t} quarter of 2008 to the 1^{s t} quarter of 2009, the prices increased by 6.7 per cent. This growth is stronger than it was between similar periods in 2008 and 2007. It is the prices for accounting activities that are increasing the most, with 7.8 per cent compared with the same quarter in 2008. Compared with the 1^{s t} quarter of 2008, the prices for auditing activities also show a strong growth, but compared with the 4^{t h} quarter of 2008 the prices have remained almost unchanged.

The prices for legal activities are continuing to rise at the same tempo as before, and increased 4.8 per cent from the 1^{s t} quarter of 2008 to the 1^{s t} quarter of 2009. In this quarter the increase was most noticeable for the foreign and the private clients. Business clients experienced the lowest growth in the last two years, with 3.6 per cent.

Between the 1^{s t} quarter of 2008 and the corresponding quarter in 2009 the prices for architectural activities rose by 4.3 per cent. Compared with the 4^{t h} quarter of 2008 the prices rose by 0.6 per cent this quarter.

Lower growth for cleaning activities

The first quarter of 2009 shows a lower price growth for cleaning activities. Compared with the 1^{s t} quarter of 2008 there has been an increase of 3.0 per cent. This is the lowest growth in the last two years. Compared with the 4^{t h} quarter of 2008 the prices increased by 0.4 per cent this quarter.

More expensive car rental for businesses

Compared with the 1^{s t} quarter of 2008, 2009 started with a price growth of 3.9 per cent in the car rental industry. Private and public business, which accounted for over 75 per cent of the total turnover in the industry this quarter, experienced a growth of 4.3 per cent. On the other hand, the private customers experienced a decrease of 6.5 per cent.

Rebasement of price indices

A new base period for the price indices for services was introduced in the 1^{s t} quarter of 2009. The base period is now set to 2006=100, according to Eurostat regulations. All indices have been adjusted in all the tables.

For the price index of car rental, the method of calculation has changed; the index is now chained every year.