Inflation falls to 2.5%, fuel price worries

THE annual rate of inflation fell to 2.5% in September but fuel price pressures are expected to push inflation to 3% early next year.

Yesterday, the Central Statistics Office said consumer prices in September, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, increased by 0.1% in the month. This compares to an increase of 0.2% in September of last year and as a result, the annual rate of inflation fell slightly to 2.5%, down from 2.6% in August.

The most significant monthly price changes were increases in clothing and footwear (+3.2%) and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (+0.8%).