Year-on-year, prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased 0.1 percent, following a 0.7 percent decline in March and posting the first rise in three months. In addition, prices of housing and utilities (0.62 percent from 0.69 percent in March) and recreation and culture (1.99 percent from 1.77 percent in March) increased at a faster pace and transport prices fell less (-0.9 percent, following a 1.4 percent drop in the previous month). In contrast, inflation for miscellaneous goods and services (0.43 percent from 0.9 percent in March) and alcoholic beverages and tobacco (2.41 percent from 4.38 percent in March) slowed while health prices fell at a faster 0.92 percent (-0.16 percent in March).
On a monthly basis, the inflation rate slowed to 0.4 percent from a 26-year high of 1.9 percent in March. Main downward pressure came from prices of medical services, domestic flights, holidays, house cleaning and maintenance products.
Excluding food and energy, the core index went up 0.8 percent year-on-year, easing from a 1 percent increase in the previous month.
