In 2012, a growth of consumer prices will speed up, since the effect of the high yield will be leveled by the mid-year, the analysts believe. In addition, the government most likely will have to raise utility services for households, since it will not be able to achieve reduction of a price for imported Russian gas, this is said in the analytical review of the First Ukrainian International Bank (FUIB).

The bank analysts note that according to preliminary information of the National Bank, gold and currency reserves in December reduced by 1.9% tо USD 31.8 billion from USD 32.4 billion in November. Reduction in the price of reserve components in U.S. dollars in December (in particular, gold, euro, Swiss franc) became one of reasons for reduction of reserves.

To note, according to the State Statistics information, consumer inflation in December 2011 made up 0.2%, whereas the inflation index over a year was 4.6%, which is the lowest index of consumer inflation since 2002. According to experts, main reasons for the slow growth of prices in 2011 were an increase in supply of food products as a result of the rich yield, as well as refusal of the government from raising utility services for population.

Ukrinform