ZAGREB, 15 July (Hina) – Consumer prices in Croatia, measured by the consumer price index (CPI), rose 4.5% year-on-year in June, while falling 0.4% from the previous month, the national statistics office said on Wednesday.

The office confirmed its preliminary estimate for June inflation published on 1 July.

Annual inflation stood at 5.2% in May and 5.8% in April.

On an annual basis, the biggest increase in June was recorded in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, where prices rose 12%. Transport prices increased 8.6%, alcoholic beverages and tobacco 7.1%, and restaurants and accommodation services 5.8%.

Healthcare prices rose 5.2%, recreation, sport and culture 4.1%, insurance and financial services 3.9%, personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services 3.3%, information and communication 2.9%, and food and non-alcoholic beverages 0.8%.

The annual increase was partly offset by a 2.8% decline in clothing and footwear prices and a 1.9% fall in education costs.

On a monthly basis, prices for restaurants and accommodation services rose 2.2%, while transport prices fell 2.9%, clothing and footwear 1.9%, and food and non-alcoholic beverages as well as personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services each declined 0.3%.

Energy prices rose 13.2% year-on-year, services increased 8.1%, and food, beverages and tobacco rose 1.8%, while prices of non-energy industrial goods fell 0.6%.

Compared with May, services prices increased 1.1%, while energy prices fell 2.9%, non-energy industrial goods declined 0.6%, and food, beverages and tobacco edged down 0.2%.

Consumer prices measured by the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) rose 4.2% year-on-year and 0.1% month-on-month.