The State of Emergency Lowered Prices in March

The consumer price index in March 2020 compared to February 2020 was 99.4%, i.e. the monthly inflation was -0.6%. The inflation rate since the beginning of the year (March 2020 compared to December 2019) has been 0.4% and the annual inflation in March 2020 compared to March 2019 was 3.0%. The annual average inflation, measured by CPI, in the last 12 months (April 2019 - March 2020) compared to the previous 12 months (April 2018 - March 2019) was 3.2%, the NSI said in a press release.

In March 2020 compared to the previous month the prices of goods and services in the main consumer groups changed as follows:

• Food and non-alcoholic beverages - an increase of 0.1%;
• Alcoholic beverages and tobacco - the prices remained at the level of the previous month;
• Clothing and footwear - a decrease of 1.5%;
• Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels - a decrease of 0.1%;
• Furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house - a decrease of 0.5%;
• Health - an increase of 0.1%;
• Transport - a decrease of 2.7%;
• Communications - a decrease of 1.3%;
• Recreation and culture - a decrease of 4.1%;
• Education - the prices remained at the level of the previous month;
• Restaurants and hotels - an increase of 0.3%;
• Miscellaneous goods and service - an increase of 0.1%.

The harmonized index of consumer prices in March 2020 compared to February 2020 was 99.5%, i.e. the monthly inflation was -0.5%. The inflation rate since the beginning of the year (March 2020 compared to December 2019) has been 0.0% and the annual inflation in March 2020 compared to March 2019 was 2.4%.

The annual average inflation, measured by HICP, in the last 12 months (April 2019 - March 2020) compared to the previous 12 months (April 2018 - March 2019) was 2.6%.

In terms of HICP, in March 2020 compared to the previous month the prices of goods and services in the main consumer groups changed as follows:

• Food and non-alcoholic beverages - an increase of 0.3%;
• Alcoholic beverages and tobacco - the prices remained at the level of the previous month;
• Clothing and footwear - a decrease of 1.3%;
• Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels - the prices remained at the level of the previous month;
• Furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house - a decrease of 0.8%;
• Health - an increase of 0.1%;
• Transport - a decrease of 1.6%;
• Communications - a decrease of 1.3%;
• Recreation and culture - a decrease of 1.7%;
• Education - the prices remained at the level of the previous month;
• Restaurants and hotels - a decrease of 0.2%;
• Miscellaneous goods and service - an increase of 0.2%.

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