Hungary’s year-on-year consumer price index fell to 3.4% in September from 3.9% in August as pressure from prices for food, tobacco and spirits, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) said. Food prices rose by 7.3% in September, slowing from 7.9% in the previous month. The increase in prices of tobacco and spirits – boosted by excise tax changes in recent months – slowed to 6.3% from 6.8%, and service prices climbed 2.4%, following a 3.5% increase in August. Household energy prices edged up 0.3%, clothing prices rose by 0.6% and consumer durable prices increased by 2.6%. Prices for the category of goods which includes vehicle fuel were flat as vehicle fuel prices fell by 3.4%.
Core inflation, which excludes volatile fuel and food prices, stood at 4.0%. Inflation calculated using a basket of goods and services used by pensioners was 3.8%. In a month-on-month comparison, consumer prices edged 0.4% lower.