15 October, 1999
Inquiries: Ms Mari Suviranta +358 9 1734 3501, Ms
Mari Ylä-Jarkko +358 9 1734 3310
Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices: Ms Mari Ylä-Jarkko +358 9 1734
3310
Director in charge: Mr Jarmo Hyrkkö
Inflation unchanged in September
According to Statistics Finland, the year-on-year change of consumer prices, i.e. inflation, was 1.1 per cent in September. Inflation was the same as in August.
Interest rates down, price of petrol up
In September, inflation was curbed by fall in the interest rates of housing loans and consumer credits and lower price of electricity. In addition, the price of coffee has gone down by almost 14 per cent in the year to September. Inflation was upheld by higher price of petrol and increase in rents in September. The price of petrol has risen by over 12 per cent in the year to September.
From August to September, consumer prices went up by 0.3 per cent, which was primarily due to higher prices of package tours and light fuel oil.
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Inflation indicators in Finland, September 1999 |
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|
Point figure |
Change on one year |
Change on one month |
|
|
Consumer Price Index (1995=100) |
104.9 |
1.1% |
0.3% |
|
Cost of Living Index (1951:10=100) |
1,457 |
||
|
Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (1996=100) |
104.5 |
1.4% |
0.5% |
Each mid-month, Statistics Finland interviewers collect over 50,000 prices from approximately 2,000 outlets for the Consumer Price Index. In addition, some 600 items of price data are gathered by centralised collection.
Inflation in EU countries 1.2 per cent in August
According to the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, the rate of inflation in the EU Member States stood at 1.2 per cent in August. In the member countries of the EMU prices also went up by 1.2 per cent. Inflation was fastest in the Netherlands, where prices rose by 2.5 per cent in the year to August, and slowest in France and Austria, at 0.5 per cent. The corresponding rate for Finland was 1.3 per cent.
In September, the Finnish point figure on the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (1996=100) stood at 104.5 and the year-on-year change at 1.4 per cent. From August to September, the index rose by 0.5 per cent.
Source: Consumer Price Index 1999, September. Statistics Finland.