Stats: Inflation Rises Again, Reaching 4.4 percent in July

Bratislava, 15 August (TASR) - Inflation in Slovakia reached 4.4 percent year-on-year (y-o-y) in July, the highest inflation rate in the past 19 months, the Statistics Office reported on Friday. Consumer prices of goods and services rose by 0.1 percent on a monthly basis. Prices rose across all 12 monitored sectors, ranging from 1.5 percent in transport to 10 percent in education. The y-o-y inflation rate was significantly affected by price increases in the food and non-alcoholic beverages sector. Food prices rose by 3.1 percent and increased in seven of the nine food categories, ranging from 0.7 percent for bread and cereals to 14.6 percent for oils and fats. Prices of milk, cheese, eggs and fruit saw significant growth above 10 percent. Conversely, meat (-1.6 percent) and vegetables (-3.7 percent) became cheaper. Non-alcoholic beverages continued to record more rapid price growth, up by 19.2 percent. More rapid price increases have been consistently maintained in the restaurant and hotel sector, in July by 9.5 percent. Prices were also significantly higher in the alcoholic beverages and tobacco sector, rising by 6.7 percent in July. Wine prices reached an all-time high, rising by as much as 16 percent y-o-y. Consumers also paid more for spirits, beer and tobacco. The housing, water, energy and gas sector recorded a y-o-y increase of 2.7 percent. In furniture, household equipment and maintenance, prices were 3.2 percent higher. In July, consumer prices increased in eight of the 12 sectors m-o-m, ranging from 0.1 percent in furniture and household equipment and in the health-care sector, to 1.2 percent for alcoholic beverages and tobacco. At the same time, prices went down in two sectors: clothing and footwear (-0.6 percent), and transport (-0.3 percent). lin/df