Consumer price index, 15 November 2005

CPI was 116.0 (1998=100 is reference year) in November 2005 compared to 114.0 at the same time last year, an increase of 1.8 per cent. The year-to-year growth in CPI-ATE was 1.1 per cent in November, a decrease of 0.1 percentage points from October.

No change in CPI from October to November

The most important impulse to price growth in November came from electricity, which went up 3.6 per cent. Petrol was the most important factor pulling in the opposite direction with a price fall of 4.9 per cent from October to November.

Non-alcoholic beverages had a price drop of 1.3 per cent in November, which was mainly due to campaign prices on coffee and mineral water and soft drinks.

Petrol prices pulled the CPI up last 12 months

CPI increased by 1.8 per cent from November 2004 to November 2005. The main contributor to the year-to-year growth came also this month from petrol prices with an 8.4 per cent increase. Electricity prices grew by 4.0 per cent last 12 months and contributed in the same direction as petrol.

Actual and imputed rentals for housing increased by 2.3 and 2.2 per cent, respectively, from November 2004 to November 2005. The group maintenance and repair of dwelling increased by 3.0 per cent in the last 12 months and pulled in the same direction as house rentals.

Audiovisual equipments contributed to dampen the CPI growth from November 2004 to November 2005, with an 8.0 per cent decrease in prices. The same effect was felt from clothing, which had a 3.6 per cent fall in prices in the last 12 months.

CPI-ATE fall in the year-to-year growth

The year-to-year growth in CPI remained unchanged at 1.8 per cent from October to November 2005. The development in prices of electricity contributed in direction of increased year-to-year growth, with a price increase in November 2005, compared to a moderate price fall at the same time last year. The impulse from electricity was neutralized by the price changes in petrol and food, which caused the year-to-year growth to remain unchanged.

The year -to-year growth in the CPI-ATE was 1.1 per cent in November 2005, which was a decrease of 0.1 per cent points from October. The year-to-year growth in CPI-AT was 1.5 per cent in November.