Finland's annual inflation decelerated in August after rising in the previous month, data released by Statistics Finland showed Friday.
Inflation eased to 2.7 percent in August from 2.9 percent in July, while economists expected it to remain unchanged. In June, the inflation rate was 2.8 percent.
The overall growth in consumer prices was driven mainly by higher costs of food and transport, and increases in the retail prices of alcoholic beverages and housing costs, the agency said.
On a monthly basis, the consumer price index increased 0.2 percent in August, reversing the previous month's 0.2 percent decline. Economists were looking for a 0.3 percent rise.
At the same time, the harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP), measured under the EU methodology, increased 3.3 percent annually in August. Compared to July, the HICP edged up 0.4 percent, data showed.
by RTT Staff Writer
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