Harmonized Inflation Moderately Accelerated to 2.1 Pct. in March

The growth dynamics of consumer prices in Slovakia accelerated in March according to methodology by the European Union. The year-on-year inflation rate in Slovakia measured by the European Union's harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) reached 2.1 percent in March, up 0.1 percentage points compared with February, reported the Slovak Statistics Office. Measured by EU methodology consumer prices in Slovakia grew 0.1 percentage points m/m in March, much the same as in the previous month,
Compared with February, prices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco increased the most in March, when they went up 0.3 percent, much the same as prices in transport, hotels, coffee shops and restaurants. Prices of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels and prices of miscellaneous goods and services increased 0.1 percent from February. Clothing, footwear and postal and telecommunications services remained the same. Compared with February, prices of foodstuff, soft drinks, furniture, household outfit, common maintenance, recreation and culture dropped 0.1 percent in the third month.
Prices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco increased the most in March 2007 when compared with March 2006, up 5.7 percent. Prices of education went up 3.8 percent followed by healthcare with a 3.7 percent increase. Prices of foodstuff and non-alcoholic beverages posted 3.6-percent increase. Prices in hotels and restaurants went up by 3 percent and prices of miscellaneous goods and services surged 2.7 percent y/y. Prices of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels swelled 2.6 percent. Prices in recreation and culture jumped 1.4 percent and prices of clothing and footwear went up 1.1 percent. Prices of furniture, household outfit and common maintenance went up 0.3 percent y/y. Prices in transport decreased 2.5 percent and in postal and telecommunications services they went down 1.7 percent y/y.