Consumer price index, 15 December 2010

The consumer price index (CPI) was 130.4 (1998=100) per December 2010, compared with 126.9 in the corresponding period 2009. This is equivalent to a year-to-year growth of 2.8 per cent in December 2010, up from 1.9 per cent in November. The year-to year growth in the CPI-ATE was 1.0 per cent in December 2010, unchanged from November.

The annual growth in the CPI was 2.5 per cent from 2009 to 2010, while the annual growth in the CPI-ATE was 1.4 per cent.

Monthly growth up 1.1 per cent

The CPI rose by 1.1 per cent from November to December 2010. The growth was mainly caused by an increase in electricity prices including grid rent of 19.9 per cent, where spot prices in particular grew heavily. The prices of fuel and lubricants rose by 3.5 per cent, while the prices of books increased by 17.6 per cent. Airline fares grew by 7.6 per cent in the same period.

The fall in prices of clothing dampened the growth in the CPI, with a decrease of 1.1 per cent from November to December 2010.

Year-to-year growth up 2.8 per cent

The CPI increased by 2.8 per cent from December 2009 to December 2010. It was particularly the prices of electricity including grid rent that pulled the CPI up, with a growth of 38.3 per cent. Imputed rentals for owner-occupiers rose by 3.3 per cent, while the prices of fuel and lubricants, together with services within recreation and culture, increased by 9.7 and 5.9 per cent respectively. Other consumption groups with considerable year-to-year growth in the period were alcoholic beverages and tobacco, restaurant services, package holidays and insurance.

The prices of clothing and food decreased in the last twelve months by 6.1 and 1.1 per cent respectively. Audiovisual equipment and telephony services also had price reductions in the period.

The year-to-year growth in the CPI rose by 0.9 percentage points, up from 1.9 per cent in November to 2.8 per cent in December 2010, due to the price development in energy goods. The prices of electricity including grid rent went up by 19.9 per cent from November to December 2010 compared to 4.1 per cent in the corresponding period in 2009. The prices of fuel and lubricants rose by 3.5 per cent from November to December in 2010 compared to a decline of 0.4 per cent in 2009.

The year-to-year growth in the CPI-ATE rose by 1.0 per cent in December 2010, unchanged from November.

Annual growth by 2.5 per cent

The annual growth was 2.5 per cent from 2009 to 2010, which was mainly caused by the price of electricity including grid rent increasing by 21.3 per cent. Imputed rentals for owner-occupiers together with the prices of fuel and lubricants were also important contributors, with annual growth of 2.8 and 8.3 per cent. Other consumption groups that had an impact on the annual growth were maintenance and repair of dwellings, services within recreation and culture, package holidays and actual rentals for housing.

The prices of clothing and audiovisual equipment fell by 4.8 and 3.8 per cent respectively from 2009 to 2010. There were also price reductions within furniture, carpeting and dwellings, telephony services, telephone equipment and airline fares.

The annual growth in CPI-JAE was 1.4 per cent from 2009 to 2010.

Tables

Published tables