Services price inflation is likely to pick up to 1.9 percent in May from 1.5 percent in the previous month, with cost of rents advancing by 1.6 percent, the same pace as in April. In addition, prices of goods are expected to advance by 2.5 percent, compared with 1.6 percent in April, as inflation is set to increase for both food (3.5 percent vs 3.4 percent) and energy (5.2 percent vs 1.3 percent).
On a monthly basis, consumer prices are set to rise 0.5 percent in May, after showing no growth in April, and beating market expectations of a 0.3 percent gain.
The harmonised index of consumer prices is expected to rise by 2.2 percent from the previous year; and by 0.6 percent from the previous month.