German Import Prices Continue To Fall

Germany's import prices decreased for the ninth successive month in September, and the rate of fall matched economists' forecast, latest data showed Thursday.

The import price index decreased 2.8 percent in September from the same month of last year, marking the ninth fall in a row, the Federal Statistical Office said. The outcome matched economists' forecast. In August, prices had declined 3.4 percent.

Contributing to the decline of the headline index, energy prices fell 6.3 percent annually, and metal costs declined 9.7 percent.

Import prices, excluding petroleum and petroleum products, were lower by 2.3 percent than in September 2012, data showed.

Sequentially, import prices stayed unchanged in September, after rising 0.1 percent in August. Expectations were for a 0.1 percent rise in September.

The statistical office further noted that Germany's export prices decreased 1 percent year-on-year in September, as they did in August. On a month-on-month basis, export prices stayed flat for the second straight month in September.

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2013-10-31 12:42

U.S. Import Prices Unexpectedly Decrease In May

With prices for fuel imports seeing a significant decrease, the Labor Department released a report on Thursday showing an unexpected drop in U. news.instaforex.com »

2013-06-13 17:42

U.K. House Prices Rise At Fastest Pace In 6 Years

U.K. house prices increased the most in six years as widening supply and demand gap lifted asking prices in London, a survey conducted by Hometrack revealed Monday.

House prices in England and Wales advanced 0.4 percent in May from a month ago, which was the biggest increase since May 2007.

In London, prices surged 0.9 percent, followed by a 0.5 percent increase across the South-east. According to the property analysts, demand over the last six months increased 15 percent in London, while supply dropped 0.6 percent.

"The impetus for rising house prices is originating almost exclusively from London and the South East," Director of research at Hometrack, Richard Donnell said.

"Elsewhere, housing market conditions are improving gradually."

A property market survey by Rightmove revealed on May 20 that house prices increased for the fifth consecutive month in May, pushing the average asking prices to a record. Cheap money and more positive mood released pent-up demand.

The 9.1 percent year-to-date increase was the strongest price start to a year since 2004, Rightmove said.

Recent house price data signals that the government's Help to Buy program as well as the Bank of England's Funding for Lending Scheme started to underpin recovery in the property market.

The recent Halifax survey also showed a revival in the residential property market helped by the low levels of mortgage payments in relation to income.

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2013-05-27 12:42

German Inflation Weakens More Than Expected In April

Germany's EU harmonized inflation eased more than economists expected in April, latest data showed Monday.

Inflation as per the harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) slowed sharply to 1.1 percent in April from 1.8 percent in March, the Federal Statistical Office said. Economists had forecast a much slower deceleration to 1.7 percent.

Sequentially, the HICP decreased 0.5 percent in April, after rising 0.4 percent in the previous month. It was expected to drop 0.1 percent.

At the same time, the consumer price index increased 1.2 percent year-on-year in April, slower than the 1.4 percent gain seen in March. Economists were looking for an annual growth of 1.4 percent.

Consumer prices decreased 0.5 percent compared to March, when they increased by 0.5 percent. Economists expected prices to drop 0.2 percent month-on-month.

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2013-04-29 17:42

Latvia Producer Prices Inflation Quickens For Fifth Month In December

Latvia's producer price inflation accelerated for the fifth month in a row in December, data released by the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia showed on Tuesday.

The producer price index (PPI) rose by 3.6 percent year-on-year in December, more faster than the 3.2 percent rise in November. The latest figure is the highest since April. In October, prices rose 2.9 by percent.

Prices of products sold in the domestic market rose 4.2 percent, while those of exported goods were 2.9 percent higher.

Sequentially, the PPI edged up by 0.2 percent in December after falling 0.2 percent in November.

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2013-01-22 16:42

U.K. Inflation Remains Unchanged In December

U.K. inflation remained stable at above 2 percent target in December adding to the central bank's concerns about a fragile economy.

Consumer price inflation was 2.7 percent for the third month in a row, the Office for National Statistics said Tuesday. The rate also came in line with economists' expectations.

Monthly inflation for December was 0.5 percent, which was faster than the 0.2 percent rise in November, and matched economists' expectations.

Housing and utility costs kept inflation high in December, adding 0.26 percentage points. On the other hand, the largest downward pressure came from transport costs.

Core inflation that excludes energy, food, alcoholic beverages and tobacco, slowed to 2.4 percent in December from 2.6 percent a month ago.

IHS Global Insight Chief U.K. Economist Howard Archer said increased energy tariffs and higher food prices could push inflation up to 3 percent early in 2013 and keep it there for a while. Depending on food and oil prices, inflation will fall back later this year, he said.

As inflation is likely to stay close to the December rate in the near-term, it will push real pay down further this year, observed Vicky Redwood, an economist at Capital Economics.

The Bank of England is set to publish its latest inflation and growth forecasts on February 13. Policymakers maintained quantitative easing at GBP 375 billion last week and the key interest rate at a record low 0.50 percent.

Retail prices gained 3.1 percent from a year ago, while it was forecast to rise 3 percent as seen in November. Likewise, the retail price index excluding mortgage interest payments, climbed 3 percent after rising 2.9 percent in November.

The ONS last week said the current calculation of the Retail Price Index should be continued without major changes so that it would not affect payments on inflation-linked bonds.

A separate report from the ONS showed that factory gate inflation edged up to 2.2 percent in December from 2.1 percent in the previous month. It was forecast to accelerate to 2.4 percent.

Due to a fall in petroleum product prices, the output price index for home sales of manufactured products fell 0.1 percent, which was less than a fall of 0.3 percent in November.

At the same time, input prices gained 0.3 percent on year, reversing last month's 0.1 percent drop. Meanwhile, the index slipped 0.2 percent from a month ago.

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2013-01-15 16:25

U.K. Inflation Steady At 2.7%

U.K. annual inflation held steady in November at the highest level since May on increases in food and energy bills, official data showed Tuesday.

Consumer price inflation stabilized at 2.7 percent in November, figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed Tuesday. Inflation was at a 34-month low of 2.2 percent in September.

The November rate came in line with economists' expectations, but continues to hover above the 2 percent target. The highest upward impact on inflation was from food prices and utility charges, while fuel prices exerted downward pressure.

Core inflation that excludes energy, food, alcoholic beverages and tobacco, also remained unchanged at 2.6 percent in November. The rate was forecast to rise marginally to 2.7 percent.

As inflation is set to stay between 2.5 percent and 3 percent for the best part of the next year due to increases in utility and food prices, the squeeze on households' spending power looks likely to persist throughout 2013, said Samuel Tombs at Capital Economics. Nonetheless, inflation will eventually fall to a very low rate.

IHS Global Insight's Chief UK economist Howard Archer said he expects consumer price inflation to fall to 2.2 percent by the end of 2013 and finally below 2 percent in 2014.

Month-on-month, consumer prices increased at a pace of 0.2 percent, in line with forecast, but slower than a 0.5 percent rise in October, data showed.

Retail price inflation, at the same time, slowed to 3 percent from 3.2 percent in October. Mortgage interest payments had a downward impact on the annual change.

Excluding mortgage interest payments, retail prices climbed 2.9 percent annually, down from 3.1 percent a month ago. Economists had forecast the annual rate to remain at 3.1 percent.

In a separate communique, the statistical office said factory-gate inflation slowed in November. Output price inflation fell to 2.2 percent in November from 2.6 percent a month ago. It was forecast to ease to 2.5 percent.

Meanwhile, core output price inflation that strips out food, beverages, tobacco and petroleum, held steady at 1.4 percent.

Annually, input prices slipped 0.3 percent in November after staying flat in October. On a monthly basis, the input price index edged up 0.1 percent, the same rate as seen in September and October.

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2012-12-18 16:42

Slovak Inflation Slows In November

Consumer price inflation in Slovakia weakened in November, after rising in the previous month, data released by the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic showed Wednesday. news.instaforex.com »

2012-12-12 12:42

Germany Nov. HICP Inflation Revised Down

Germany's harmonized index of consumer prices rose less than estimated in the preliminary report in November, final figures published by the Federal Statistical Office showed Wednesday.

The HICP inflation was 1.9 percent in November, a tad below 2 percent reported initially. On a monthly basis, HICP fell 0.2 percent compared with 0.1 percent fall reported earlier.

The CPI rose 1.9 percent year-on-year and fell 0.1 percent on a monthly basis in November. The figures matched the preliminary estimates.

In October, CPI inflation was 2 percent. The slight decrease of the inflation rate in November is largely due to energy prices.

Energy prices rose 3.8 percent year-on-year in November, which is a smaller increase than in the months before. Not considering energy prices, the rate of inflation has remained constant at 1.6 percent.

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2012-12-12 11:21