In January, the annual rate of inflation as measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices went up to 1.4%, from 1.0% registered in December 2016, the National Statistics Office said today.
The monthly rate of inflation in January stood at -1.1%, down from 0% in December 2016.
The largest upward impacts on annual inflation were registered in the Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages Index (0.86%), the Furniture, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House Index (0.38%) and the Clothing and Footwear Index (0.10%).
These were mainly due to higher prices of vegetables, home furniture and garments respectively. The Recreation and Culture Index (0.14%), the Communication Index (0.12%) and the Restaurants and Hotels Index (0.01%) registered the largest downward impacts on annual inflation, mainly reflecting lower prices for package holidays, mobile phones and accommodation services respectively.
The twelve-month moving average rate for January increased marginally to a rate of 1.0%.
In the meantime Eurostat figures show that, in January, Malta annual inflation rate was lower than the EU and euro zone average.
Euro area annual inflation was 1.8% in January 2017, up from 1.1% in December 2016. In January 2016 the rate was 0.3%.
European Union annual inflation was 1.7% in January 2017, up from 1.2% in December. A year earlier the rate was 0.3%.