According to a Eurostat release issued on Friday, Malta registered among the highest increases in total industry in January but also among the lowest increases on an annual basis.

Eurostat said that in January 2012, compared with the previous month, prices in total industry excluding the energy sector increased by 0.3 per cent in both the euro area and the EU27. Prices in the energy sector rose by 2.2 per cent and 2.1 per cent respectively.

Durable consumer goods gained 0.5 per cent in the euro area and 0.3 per cent in the EU27. In both zones, intermediate goods increased by 0.4 per cent. Capital goods increased by 0.3 per cent in the euro area and by 0.2 per cent in the EU27. Non-durable consumer goods rose by 0.2 per cent and 0.3 per cent respectively.

Among the Member States for which data are available, the highest increases in the total index were recorded in Greece (+2.8 per cent), Latvia and Portugal (both +2.3 per cent) and Malta (+1.9 per cent), and the lowest in Slovenia (0.0 per cent), Denmark and the United Kingdom (both +0.3 per cent).

In January 2012 compared with January 2011, prices in total industry excluding the energy sector increased by 1.9 per cent in the euro area and by 2.3 per cent in the EU27.

Prices in the energy sector gained 9.2 per cent and 9.5 per cent respectively. Non-durable consumer goods rose by 3.0 per cent in the euro area and by 3.5 per cent in the EU27. In both zones, durable consumer goods increased by 2.4 per cent. Intermediate goods gained 1.6 per cent in the euro area and 2.0 per cent in the EU27. Capital goods rose by 1.3 per cent and 1.5 per cent respectively.

Among the Member States for which data are available, the largest increases in the total index were observed in Latvia (+10.3 per cent), Lithuania (+9.2 per cent) and Cyprus (+8.7 per cent), and the smallest in Slovenia (+1.9 per cent), Slovakia (+2.5 per cent) and Malta (+2.6 per cent). A decrease was recorded in Sweden (-0.6 per cent).