Consumer price index in April

News
Posted on 8 May 2009, 11:00

According to Statistics Estonia, the consumer price index decreased 0.7% in April 2009 compared to March and increased 0.3%compared to April 2008.

The change of the consumer price index compared to the same month of the previous year was 0.3% last in June 2003.

In April 2009 compared to April of the previous year, goods were cheaper by 1.7%, of which food products were more expensive by 1.9% and manufactured goods were cheaper by 4.7%. The prices of services had risen by 4.1%. Regulated prices of goods and services had risen by 5.1% and non-regulated prices fallen by 1.1%.

Compared to April 2008, the consumer price index was mainly influenced by alcoholic beverages and tobacco (the price increase together 18.9%), by the price decrease of motor fuel (20.3%) and by the price decrease of food (3.6%). Milk and dairy products (price decrease 14.2%) accounted for two thirds of the price decrease of food. Remarkable impact on the index had also electricity (increase 14.8%) and heat energy (increase 5.6%).

In April compared to the previous month, the consumer price index was mainly influenced by the price decrease of food, especially of dairy and meat products, by continuous price decrease of heat energy and by price increase of motor fuel.

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

Commodity group April 2008 –
April 2009, %

March 2009 –
April 2009, %

TOTAL 0.3 -0.7
Food and non-alcoholic beverages -3.6 -1.8
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 18.9 0.0
Clothing and footwear 1.6 1.6
Housing 2.3 -2.4
Household goods 2.2 -0.6
Health 5.3 -0.1
Transport -10.0 0.5
Communications -0.8 0.0
Recreation and culture 0.4 -1.2
Education 5.9 0.0
Hotels, cafés and restaurants 2.4 0.0
Miscellaneous goods and services 6.5 0.7