Despite the VAT increase from 21% to 22%, Italian inflation continues to fall. According to the provisional data released this morning by Istat, in October the figure dropped to 0,7%, the same level as in November 2009. Inflation acquired for 2013 drops to 1,2% from 1,3% of September.
The "Shopping cart”, the index on the price trend of the most purchased products, fell to +0,2% on a monthly basis and to +0,7% on an annual basis, a slowdown of three tenths of a point compared to September: it is the lowest level since October 2009 (+0,2%).
In general, the slowdown in inflation is largely linked to the more volatile components - explains Istat -, such as i energy goods and fresh food, net of which the trend growth of the consumer price index (core inflation) remains stationary at 1,2%.
In particular, energy goods (-1,3%), unprocessed food (-0,8%) and services related to communications (-4,4%) slowed down. Excluding energy goods alone, the trend growth rate of the consumer price index rose to 1,1% (from 1,3% in September).
