Milan (awp/afp) – Inflation in Italy remained stable in May, at 0.8% year-on-year, according to consolidated data published Monday by the National Institute of Statistics (Istat).
The rise in consumer prices in the peninsula is significantly lower than the euro zone average in May (2.6%) and the medium-term objective of 2% of the European Central Bank (ECB), which lowered its key rates earlier this month for the first time since 2019 to give a boost to the household and business economy.
In Italy, the prices of processed food products increased less quickly in May (1.8%) than in April (2.5%), as did those of transport (2.4% compared to 2.7%), while those of unregulated energy products slowed their decline (-13.5% against -13.9%).
The prices of regulated energy products have started to rise again (0.7% compared to April (-1.3%), according to Istat figures.
The “housewife basket” (food, cleaning, care and hygiene products) saw its growth decelerate, going from +2.3% to 1.8%).
Over one month, consumer prices increased by 0.2% in May.
The increase in the inflation index calculated according to the harmonized standards of the European Union (IPCA) stood at 0.8% in May over one year, after 0.9% in April.
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