Harmonized index of consumer prices, 15 November 2003

HICP for Norway rose by 0.3 per cent from October to November mainly due to a price rise of energy products. The increase was dampened by a decrease in airline fares. The year-to-year change was 1.5 per cent in November, down from 1.6 per cent in October. Please see the Consumer Price Index for more details.

Year-to-year change in the EEA

From October 2002 to October 2003, the consumer prices in the EEA went up 1.8 per cent. Ireland had the highest price growth in October by 3.3 per cent. The lowest consumer price growth in October was registered in Finland and Austria with 0.9 and 1.0 per cent respectively.

The prices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco and household payments for education increased the most in the EEA from October 2002 to October 2003. The prices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco rose 5.1 per cent in the EEA. Large variations in the year-to-year changes among the countries in the EEA were registered; from a price decline of 6.8 per cent in Denmark to a price increase of 10.9 per cent in France. Household payments for education went up 4.0 per cent in the EEA. Except for Sweden, an increase was registered in all the countries in the EEA. The payments increased the most in Denmark and Portugal with 15.8 and 11.7 per cent respectively.

The prices within communications and recreation and culture went slightly down in the EEA from October last year to October this year.

In advance, Eurostat estimated the year-to-year change in October in the Euro-zone to 2.1 per cent, while the actual price growth turned out to be 2.0 per cent. Expected growth in the consumer prices in the Euro-zone in November is 2.2 per cent. The HICP for the European Union increased by 1.8 per cent in October.