11 October 2012

2012- n° 251

In September 2012, the Consumer Prices Index decreased by 0.3%; year-on-year, it rose by 1.9% Consumer price index - final results - September 2012

In September 2012, the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) declined by 0.3%, after a sharp rise in August (+0,7%). The year-on-year change decreased at +1.9%, from +2.1% in August. The price index without tobacco was also decreasing by 0.3% (+1.8% year-on-year). In September 2012, prices of tobacco were stable (0.0% ; +5.8% year-on-year). Adjusted from seasonal variations, CPI was steady (0,0% ; +1.9% year-on-year). The seasonnal decrease in prices of services linked with tourism, a decrease in prices for telecoms and the slight fall of energy prices have not been off-set by increasing prices of manufactured products (especially prices of clothing and footwear). Besides, prices of food products increased in September.

For seasonal reasons, prices of services decreased by 1.5% in September 2012 although they increased by 1.6% year-on-year. They were also falling by 1.1% in September 2011. This evolution is mainly connected to the seasonal drop of prices of the holidays accommodation, package holidays, rents of holiday residence, and other services including passenger transport by air or by sea. Furthermore, prices for mobiles services have also decreased in September.

Energy prices decreased by 0.3% in September but increased by 5.8% year-on-year (+6.9% year-on-year in August). This slight decline came mainly from prices of petroleum products (–0.5%; +6,8% year-on-year), especially from fuels (–1.0%; +5.8% year-on-year). Town gas prices rose slightly (+0.2%; +6.3% year-on-year) whereas those of electricity were steady in September 2012 (3.2% over one year).

In September 2012, prices of manufactured products increased for seasonal reasons (+1.4%; +0.8% year-on-year). At the end of summer sales, prices of clothing and footwear went up (+7.9% in September after +6.7% in August and –13.6% in July).

Prices of food products increased by 0.2% in September 2012 (+2.4% year-on-year). This change resulted from a rise of prices of fresh products (+2.4% ; +6.7% year-on-year). Prices of food products except fresh products went down by 0.1% (+1.8% year-on-year).

Core-inflation (ISJ) was decreasing slightly in September 2012 (–0.1%; +1.2% year-on-year).

The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) decreased by 0.3% (+2.2% year-on-year).