In July, the annual rate of inflation as measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices went down to 0.9 per cent, from 1.0 per cent registered in June 2016, the NSO said.

On a monthly basis, the rate of -0.1 per cent was registered in July 2016, down from 1.1 per cent registered in June 2016.

The largest upward impacts on annual inflation were registered in the Restaurants and Hotels Index (0.48 percentage points), the Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages Index (0.33 percentage points) and Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Index (0.16 percentage points).

These were mainly due to higher prices of restaurant services (including cafeterias and the like), vegetables and tobacco respectively.

The Recreation and Culture Index (0.33 percentage points), the Transport Index (0.11 percentage points) and the Communication Index (0.07 percentage points) registered the largest downward impacts on annual inflation, mainly reflecting lower prices for package holidays, fuel and mobile phones respectively.

The twelve-month moving average rate was 1.1 per cent.