According to Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, in January this year industrial producer prices increased by 0.6 percent both in the euro area and in the European Union member states (EU-27) month on month. In December last year, prices had decreased by 0.2 percent compared to the previous month in both zones. In January, industrial producer prices gained 1.9 percent in the euro area and 1.8 percent in the EU-27 compared to January 2012.
In January this year compared with December 2012, prices in overall industry excluding the energy sector increased 0.2 percent in both zones, while prices in the energy sector rose by 1.6 percent in the euro area and by 1.5 percent in the EU-27. In January this year, durable consumer goods rose by 0.3 percent, capital goods and non-durable consumer goods by 0.2 percent and intermediate goods by 0.1 percent in both zones, month on month.
Among the member states for which data are available, the highest month-on-month increases were recorded in Estonia (with eight percent), in Romania (+1.9 percent), Lithuania (+1.3 percent), the Czech Republic and Spain (both +1.1 percent), while the largest decreases were recorded in Bulgaria (-0.8 percent), in the Netherlands (-0.5 percent), in Ireland and Cyprus (both -0.3 percent) and in Hungary (-0.2 percent).
In January as compared to January 2012, prices in overall industry excluding the energy sector increased by 1.4 percent in both the euro area and the EU-27. Prices in the energy sector rose by 2.8 percent and 2.1 percent respectively. Intermediate goods rose by 1.3 percent in the euro area and by 1.2 percent in the EU-27. Durable consumer goods gained 0.9 percent and 0.8 percent respectively. Capital goods increased by 0.7 percent in both zones, while non-durable consumer goods increased by 2.4 percent in the euro zone and by 2.5 percent EU-27, year on year.
Among member states for which data are available, the largest year-on-year increases in the overall index were observed in Estonia (+10 percent), in Romania (+6.6 percent), in Belgium (+5.4 percent) and in Denmark (+4.9 percent), and decreases were recorded in Sweden (-0.9 percent), in Hungary (-0.3 percent) and in Greece (-0.1 percent).