Main upward pressure came from: housing and utilities (1.4 percent compared to 1.3 percent in April); transport (3.6 percent compared to 2.4 percent); food and non-alcoholic beverages (1.6 percent compared to 1.4 percent) and restaurants and hotels (0.2 percent compared to a flat reading). Also, prices of furnishings and household equipment declined at a softer pace (-1.0 percent compared to -1.6 percent). On the other hand, cost dropped further for health (-1.6 percent compared to -1.5 percent) while prices of recreation and culture eased (2.5 percent compared to 2.7 percent) and inflation was steady for miscellaneous goods and services (0.6 percent, the same as in April).
Annual core inflation, which strips out volatile price components like food, beverages, tobacco, seasonal products, energy and fuel, slowed to 0.4 percent in May from 0.5 percent in April.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices went up 0.4 percent, after rising 0.2 percent in the prior month. The increase was boosted by higher prices of petrol (4.7 percent) and fresh fruit (49.5 percent). In contrast, prices decreased for medicines (-3.4 percent), other vegetables, aromatic herbs and mushrooms (-7.3 percent) and dried fruit and nuts (-4.4 percent).