Consumer price index in February

News
Posted on 6 March 2009, 10:00

According to Statistics Estonia, the percentage change of the consumer price index in February 2009 compared to January was -0.3% and compared to February of the previous year was 3.4%.

The change of the consumer price index compared to the same month of the previous year was less than 3.5% last in June 2005, when it was 3.1%.

In February 2009 compared to February of the previous year, the prices of goods had changed by 0.9%, of which the prices of food products had increased by 6.1% and the prices of manufactured goods had decreased by -3.3%. The prices of services had changed by 8.0%. Regulated prices of goods and services changed by 9.2% and non-regulated prices by 1.6%.

Compared to February 2008, the consumer price index was mainly influenced by alcoholic beverages and tobacco (the price increase together 20.5%) and by the impact of the expenditures on housing, of which the price increase of heat energy by 29.3% gave about three quarters. The index was also greatly influenced by motor fuel, the prices of which were about 20% lower in February 2009 compared to the same month a year ago.

In February compared to the previous month, the consumer price index was mainly influenced by the decrease in the expenditures on housing, the main reason of which was the decrease in the prices of heat energy. The increase in the prices of motor fuel and the decrease in the prices of food also had a big impact on the consumer price index.

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, February 2009

Commodity group February 2008 –
February 2009, %
January 2009 –
February 2009, %
TOTAL 3.4 -0.3
Food and non-alcoholic beverages 1.3 -0.9
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 20.5 0.0
Clothing and footwear 0.7 0.7
Housing 10.3 -2.4
Household goods 3.8 0.4
Health 6.5 0.0
Transport -8.0 1.6
Communications -0.8 -0.1
Recreation and culture 0.7 0.3
Education 6.5 0.1
Hotels, cafés and restaurants 5.1 -1.5
Miscellaneous goods and services 8.4 0.5