Year-on-year inflation in April was 3.2 percent, announced the State Bureau of Statistics on Friday in its second estimate, slightly raising it by 0.1 percentage points compared to the first estimate, while the monthly inflation rate, i.e., compared to March, is still estimated at 0.6 percent. This has halted the trend of declining year-on-year inflation rate, which was four percent in January, 3.7 in February, and 3.2 percent in March.
When observed according to the main groups of the ECOICOP classification, the largest increase in consumer prices on an annual basis was recorded in restaurants and hotels, by 8.7 percent, recreation and culture by 5.9 percent, housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, as well as various goods and services, each group by 5.6 percent.
Education increased in April compared to the same month last year by 5.3 percent, health by five percent, food and non-alcoholic beverages by 4.5, and alcoholic beverages and tobacco by 1.8 percent.
The annual price increase mitigated the decline in transportation prices by 1.8 percent, clothing and footwear by 0.7 percent, and communications by 0.4 percent.
On a monthly basis, the highest average price increases were recorded in clothing and footwear, 7.7 percent, restaurants and hotels 1.2 percent, communications one percent, recreation and culture 0.7 percent, and food and non-alcoholic beverages by 0.5 percent.
At the same time, prices of furniture, household equipment, and regular household maintenance, as well as transportation, fell by 0.7 percent each, and alcoholic beverages and tobacco by 0.2 percent.
According to the main components of the index (specific aggregates), the annual price increase was achieved in services, by 6.1 percent, food, drink, and tobacco by 4.1, energy 1.5, and industrial non-food products excluding energy, by 0.3 percent.
The monthly price increase was recorded in industrial non-food products excluding energy, by 1.7 percent, services increased by 0.8, and food, drink, and tobacco by 0.4 percent, while energy prices fell by 0.8 percent.
Prices of goods and services for personal consumption, measured by the harmonized index of consumer prices, in April 2025 compared to April 2024, were on average four percent higher, while compared to this year’s March, they were on average 0.7 percent higher.
