Bulgaria Inflation Eases More Than Estimated

(RTTNews) - Bulgaria's consumer price inflation moderated more than estimated in June to the lowest level in three months, the latest data from the National Statistical Institute showed on Wednesday.

The consumer price index, or CPI, climbed 5.4 percent year-over-year in June, slower than the 6.9 percent rise in May. In the flash estimate, the inflation rate was 5.6 percent.

Inflation based on transportation softened notably to 16.8 percent from 21.6 percent, and the annual price growth in food and non-alcoholic beverages moderated to 2.4 percent from 4.4 percent. Housing and utility costs were 5.0 percent higher, while the deflation in clothing and footwear deepened to 1.0 percent from 0.4 percent.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices dropped 0.9 percent in June after remaining flat in the prior month. That was faster than the 0.8 percent increase seen in the flash estimate.

The EU measure of inflation, the harmonized index of consumer prices, also rose at a slower pace of 5.2 percent annually in June versus a 6.3 percent increase in May. Monthly, the HICP dropped 0.5 percent.