15 May 1996
Petrol and dwellings head the rise in prices in April
Consumer prices rose by 0.7 per cent in the year to April, and by 0.2 per cent from March to April. Factors contributing most to the change on one month were the 2.8 per cent rise in the price of petrol and the rise in dwelling prices in the first quarter of 1996. This appears from Statistics Finland's Consumer Price Index.Price trend from March to April
Food was 0.3 per cent up from March to April, which was attributable mainly to the higher prices of fruit and tomatoes. The trend in the price of food was curbed by the price fall of cucumber, peppers and Chinese cabbage.
The prices of international flights also rose in April. Used-car prices continued to fall in April, as did interest rates.
Price trend in the year to April
The highest rise in one year occurred in beverages and tobacco and in transport and communications, by 2.4 per cent each. The rise in transportation expenses boosted inflation most. The price of petrol has risen by 11.7 per cent in one year. Inflation also rose due to the higher price of electricity and price rises in rents and lottery costs.
Interest rate cuts provided the greatest curtailment on the April inflation, i.e. by 0.5 percentage points. Food was 2.6 per cent cheaper in April than it was a year earlier, which lowered inflation by a good 0.3 percentage points. The drop in the price of food was accounted for above all by the fall in the price of coffee, minced meat and potatoes. Cheaper new-car and used-car prices and local calls also decelerated the rise in consumer prices.
The Consumer Price Index 1990=100 was 112.7 in
April.
The Cost of Living Index 1951:10=100 was 1 398.
Harmonised Consumer Price Index of the EU
The point figure of the interim harmonised consumer price index of the EU (1994=100) was 102.2 in April and the year-on-year change 1.2 per cent. Of the EU countries, Finland's year-on-year change, at 1.1 per cent, was the lowest in March, EU average for March being 2.7 per cent.
Underlying inflation 0.2 per cent in March
The point figure of the Bank of Finland's indicator of underlying inflation (1990=100) was 111.6 in March, and the year-on year change 0.2 per cent.
Source: Consumer Price Index, April 1996
Further information: Kaisa Weckström-Eno, tel. +358 0 1734 3479,
or
Juhani Pekkarinen +358 0 1734 3476.