Annual change of consumer price index was mainly influenced by housing in October

News
Posted on 7 November 2011, 10:00

According to Statistics Estonia, the change of the consumer price index was -0.1% in October 2011 compared to September and 4.4% compared to October of the previous year.

Goods were 4.8% and services 3.7% more expensive compared to October of the previous year.

Regulated prices of goods and services have risen by 7.6% and non-regulated prices by 3.3% compared to October of the previous year.

If since August 2009 the change of the consumer price index to the same month of the previous year was mainly influenced by food and non-alcoholic beverages, then in October their impact was slightly smaller than the influence of housing expenditures. Compared to October of the previous year, the index was mainly influenced by housing expenditures, which gave over a third of the total increase, of which over a third gave 10.9% more expensive heat energy, nearly a quarter 30% more expensive rents and over a sixth 6.9% more expensive electricity. 6% more expensive food and non-alcoholic beverages gave almost a third of the total increase of the index, of which meat products, coffee and cereals each gave a fifth. Motor fuel was 14.9% more expensive compared to October of the previous year and gave less than a sixth of the total increase. Compared to the same period a year ago, the prices of sugar (48%), coffee (40%) and vegetable oil (39%) have increased the most. In October this year fresh vegetables were 24% cheaper than in the previous year.

In October compared to September, the consumer price index was mainly influenced by the 1.2% price decrease of food, of which over a half gave the seasonal decrease in the prices of vegetables (4.8%) and fresh fruit (3.3%). Rather big was also the impact of housing, of which 45% gave the 1.4% price increase of heat energy. Compared to September, sauerkraut was by 21% and carrots by 20% cheaper, but tomatoes were by 21% more expensive.

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, October 2011
Commodity group October 2010 –
October 2011, %
September 2011 –
October 2011, %
TOTAL 4.4 -0.1
Food and non-alcoholic beverages 6.0 -1.1
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 4.1 -0.2
Clothing and footwear 4.7 1.2
Housing 8.5 0.8
Household goods 1.9 0.8
Health 1.0 0.2
Transport 6.1 -0.6
Communications -10.3 -0.2
Recreation and culture -0.2 -0.1
Education 1.8 0.3
Hotels, cafés and restaurants 8.3 0.1
Miscellaneous goods and services 3.4 0.1