Price index of first-hand domestic sales, 15 July 2008

The price index for first-hand domestic sales (PIF) increased by 1.0 per cent from June to July. The commodity groups which contributed the most to raise the index were electricity and chemical products. These prices increased by 10.5 and 4.4 per cent, respectively. With higher prices of all product groups except vegetables and fruit, food prices grew by 0.5 per cent.

Prices of inedible crude materials except fuels fell by 0.2 per cent, due to lower prices of wood, lumber, metalliferous ores and metal scrap. Prices of petroleum and petroleum products also saw a decrease, of 0.7 per cent.

Twelve month change: Price growth of 12.2 per cent

From July 2007 to July 2008, PIF increased by 12.2 per cent. The strongest increases were found in the prices of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials. The electricity prices were 154.4 per cent higher in July this year than in the same month of last year, while the prices of petroleum and petroleum products grew by 44.2 per cent. Also chemical products saw a relatively large price growth over this period, with an increase of 10.8 per cent. Food prices were 5.4 per cent higher than twelve months earlier.