Bulgaria records 2.1% annual inflation in August

Sofia: Bulgaria’s annual consumer price index (CPI) recorded 2.1 per cent inflation in August, down from 2.4 per cent a month earlier, the National Statistical Institute (NSI) said on September 16.

It was the lowest annual inflation figure recorded in more than three years, since April 2021, when year-on-year inflation was two per cent. The monthly CPI figure recorded 0.1 per cent inflation, NSI said.

Food prices were 0.9 per cent higher compared to July, while non-food prices fell by 0.7 per cent and services prices were 0.2 per cent higher.

Compared to August 2023, food prices were 2.3 per cent higher, while non-food prices fell by 0.3 per cent and services prices rose by 4.2 per cent.

The harmonised CPI figure, calculated by NSI for comparison with European Union data, recorded monthly inflation of 0.1 per cent, while the annual harmonised CPI inflation was 2.4 per cent, down from 2.8 per cent a month earlier.

Food and beverage prices were 2.7 per cent higher in August, on an annual basis, while the price of utilities and housing rose by 2.6 per cent and transportation costs were 1.4 per cent up compared to the same month of last year. The three categories account for 49.2 per cent of the harmonised CPI basket.