Finland Times

In December, inflation stood at 0.5 per cent.

Inflation slowed down particularly because the prices of petrol, fuel oil and food went down.

In January, consumer prices were pushed up most by increases in rents and maintenance charges of housing, and tobacco prices.

The rising of consumer prices was curbed in January most by reductions in the prices of food, petrol and fuel oil.

From December to January, consumer prices decreased by 0.7 per cent, which was mainly caused by cheaper petrol, package tours abroad and child-care services.

The inflation in the euro area slowed down to minus 0.6 per cent in January, according to the preliminary data on the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices.

In December, it stood at minus 0.2 per cent. The corresponding figure for Finland in January was minus 0.1 per cent.

The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices does not include owner-occupancy, games of chance, interests on consumption and other credits, fire insurance on owner-occupied dwellings or the vehicle tax.

The year-on-year change in the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices stood at minus 0.1 per cent in January and that in the Index at Constant Taxes measuring market inflation at minus 0.4 per cent.

Over twelve months, the combined raising impact on consumer prices from changes in commodity tax rates was thus 0.3 percentage points. The month-on-month change in the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices was minus 0.7 per cent and that in the Index at Constant Taxes minus 1.0 per cent in January.

The taxes on tobacco, electricity and fuels were raised in January as per the data.