Inflation is still slowing down, for the fourth time in a row. In January, the inflation rate stood at +2,2% and recorded the lowest level since January 2011. This was noted by Istat in its preliminary estimate.
In January 2013, according to preliminary estimates, the national consumer price index for the whole community (NIC), gross of tobacco, increased by 0,2% compared to the previous month and by 2,2% in comparisons with January 2012 (it was +2,3% in December).
In the meantime, Istat has redone the basket for calculating inflation. Among the novelties of 2013 is methane gas for motor vehicles, while the range of products such as smartphones and tablet PCs is expanded, which now respectively include phablets (which combine the characteristics of smartphones and mini tablets) and transformable tablets, which can also be used as notebooks. In addition, five new positions have been introduced in children's clothing (3-13 years).
Netbooks and civil mediation are out of the basket: the first because household spending on this asset has decreased, the second following the sentence of the Constitutional Court of 24 October 2012, which canceled the obligation, initially envisaged for some subjects .
In 2013, the basket used to calculate consumer price indices for the entire national community and for blue-collar and white-collar households consisted of 1.429 products (last year they were 1.383), aggregated in 603 representative positions (597 in 2012 ). The basket used to calculate the harmonized index of consumer prices (HIP) incorporates 1.451 products, aggregated in 608 representative positions (602 in 2012).
The descriptions of 129 positions have been updated, in order to adapt the survey to the changes that have occurred in the characteristics of the products, and to allow greater comparability of the statistics on price levels processed in Italy with those of other European countries. In 2013, 82 provincial capitals contribute to the estimate of inflation (84 in 2012). The coverage of the survey, in terms of provincial population, is 84,0% (86,3% in 2012). In the provincial capitals there are around 41.300 survey units in which prices are monitored (between points of sale, businesses and institutions) and 8.100 homes are subject to the survey of rents.
Charles Musilli
