According to the report released by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, in March this year industrial producer prices fell by 0.1 percent in the euro area and rose by 0.1 percent in the European Union member states (EU-28), month on month. On year-on-year basis, in March this year industrial producer prices were up by 2.9 percent in the euro area and rose by 3.1 percent in the EU-28.
In March, compared with February, prices in the energy sector declined by 0.5 percent in the euro area and remained stable in the EU-28. Prices of intermediate goods increased by 0.2 percent both in the euro area in the EU-28. Prices of durable goods increased by 0.1 percent both in the euro area and in the EU-28. Prices of non-durable goods remained stable in the euro area and increased by 0.1 percent in the EU-28. Prices of capital goods increased by 0.1 both in the euro area and in the EU-28, all on month-on-month basis.
In the given month, among the member states for which data are available, the largest month-on-month increases in industrial producer prices were recorded in Greece (+1.1%), Luxembourg and Romania (both +0.8%), while decreases were observed in Denmark (-1.6%), Cyprus (-1.2%), and Estonia (-0.8%).
In March, compared with March 2018, prices in the energy sector rose by 7.8 percent in the euro area and by 8.2 percent in the EU-28. Prices of intermediate goods grew by 1.3 percent in the euro area and by 1.7 percent in the EU-28, year on year. Prices of durable goods increased by 1.5 percent in the euro area and by 1.6 percent in the EU-28, while prices of non-durable goods rose by 0.1 percent in the euro area and by 0.5 percent in the EU-28, on year-on-year basis. Prices of capital goods rose by 1.5 percent in both areas, year on year.
Among member states for which data are available, industrial producer prices rose in all member states, with the largest year-on-year increases recorded in Romania (+6.7%), Belgium (+6.4%), Latvia (+6.1%) and Hungary (+5.5%).