Croatia Inflation Slows Further In March

(RTTNews) - Croatia's consumer price inflation eased for a second straight month in March as prices of food and energy rose at slower rates, preliminary data from the statistical office showed on Tuesday.

The consumer price index rose 3.2 percent following a 3.7 percent increase in February, flash estimates showed.

Among the main components, prices of food, beverages and tobacco rose 4.4 percent year-on-year after a 4.9 percent growth in the previous month. Energy inflation slowed further to 2.1 percent from 3.6 percent. Services inflation accelerated to 6.0 percent from 5.7 percent. Prices of non-food industrial goods dropped 0.2 percent reversing a 0.2 percent gain from the previous month.

The CPI climbed 0.4 percent from February, when it fell 0.1 percent.

Inflation, based on the harmonized index of consumer prices, slowed to 4.3 percent in March from 4.8 percent in February. The EU measure of inflation rose 0.5 percent from the previous month when it was unchanged.

Final results for March CPI and HICP are scheduled to be released on April 15.