Dutch inflation slows to one-year low
2012-06-07 12:29:54
Consumer price inflation in the Netherlands slowed to the lowest level in one year in May, data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics showed Thursday.
Annual inflation slowed to 2.1 percent in May from 2.4 percent in April. The latest figure was the lowest since April 2011, when the rate of inflation was 2.1 percent. Economists expected inflation to remain unchanged from the previous month.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages prices rose 1.3 percent annually, while clothing and footwear prices moved up 1.4 percent. There was a 2.8 percent year-on-year increase in housing costs and utility prices during the month, and a similar growth in transportation costs.
On a monthly basis, seasonally adjusted consumer price edged down 0.1 percent in May, the agency said.
At the same time, the harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP), measured under the EU methodology, weakened to 2.5 percent in May from 2.8 percent in April. Economists were looking for an inflation rate of 2.6 percent.