According to the report released by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, in February this year industrial producer prices rose by 0.1 percent in the euro area and by 0.2 percent in the European Union member states (EU-28), month on month. On year-on-year basis, in February this year industrial producer prices were up by three percent in the euro area and by 3.1 percent in the EU-28.
In February, compared with January, prices in the energy sector rose by two percent in the euro area and by 0.7 percent in the EU-28. Prices of intermediate goods fell by 0.1 percent in the euro area and increased by 0.1 percent in the EU-28. Prices of durable goods increased by 0.1 percent in the euro area and by 0.2 percent in the EU-28. Prices of non-durable goods remained stable in both areas, while 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 Slovakia (+1.8%), Bulgaria (+1.5%) and Latvia and Greece (both +1.2%), while decreases were observed in Estonia (-1.5%), Denmark (-0.5%), and Portugal (0.5%).
In February, compared with February 2018, prices in the energy sector rose by eight percent in the euro area and by 7.8 percent in the EU-28. Prices of intermediate goods grew by 1.3 percent in the euro area and by 1.8 percent in the EU-28, year on year. Prices of durable goods increased by 1.4 percent in the euro area and by 1.7 percent in the EU-28, while prices of non-durable goods rose by 0.4 percent in the euro area and by 0.6 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, the largest year-on-year increases in industrial producer prices were recorded in Latvia (+6.6%), Cyprus (+6.5%) and Romania and Belgium (both +5.9%). No year-on-year decline was observed in terms of industrial producer prices in the euro area.