Irish Inflation Rises To 3.7% In August

(RTTNews) - Ireland's consumer price inflation increased in August to the highest level in four months, data from the Central Statistics Office showed on Thursday.

The consumer price index climbed 3.7 percent year-over-year in August, faster than the 3.4 percent increase in July.

Inflation based on transportation climbed to 5.4 percent from 2.4 percent, and the annual price growth in housing and utilities quickened to 8.5 percent from 7.7 percent. Health costs grew at a stable rate of 1.8 percent, while that in food and non-alcoholic beverages eased to 0.1 percent from 0.7 percent.

This is the second straight month in which no product division recorded a price decline when compared to a year ago, the Central Statistics Office noted.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices moved up 0.7 percent in August, following a 0.1 percent rise in July.

The EU measure of inflation, the harmonized index of consumer prices, rose 3.4 percent yearly in August after rising 3.1 percent in July. Monthly, the HICP increased 0.6 percent.