site.btaFebruary's Monthly Inflation Stands at 0.3%

Monthly inflation in February compared with January stood at 0.3%, according to the preliminary estimate of the National Statistical Institute (NSI), while annual inflation reached 3.3% based on the Consumer Price Index, NSI President Atanas Atanasov said at a briefing at the Council of Ministers on Monday.

Prices increased mainly in the services sector. The biggest rise was recorded in recreation, sports and culture, up 15.3%. The second group with higher prices was restaurant and hotel services, which rose by 9.1%, followed by education services, which increased by 8.6%.

Atanasov noted that the next group with rising prices was alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, up 6.2%.

Meanwhile, healthcare recorded a decrease in the average price level of 4%, information and communications fell by 3%, and transport declined by 1.9%.

Compared with other countries in the euro area, inflation in Bulgaria in February this year compared with February last year, measured by the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), stood at 2%, while the euro area average was 1.9%, Atanasov said.

Regarding monthly inflation measured by the HICP, Bulgaria recorded 0.1% in February. Only Cyprus reported a lower rate, while Slovakia and Portugal registered the same level as Bulgaria, Atanasov added.