ROME, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Consumer prices in Italy rose 1.5 percent in January compared to a year earlier, marking the highest annual increase in any single month over the past year, preliminary data released on Monday showed, as higher energy prices continued to exert pressure.
The National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) reported that the annual inflation rate in January was primarily driven by a surge in energy costs, with energy goods rising 27.8 percent year-on-year. This was a significant acceleration compared to the 12.7 percent annual increase recorded in December 2024.
Non-regulated energy prices were 3 percent lower in January than a year earlier, but the decline was smaller than the 4.2 percent drop registered in December. Meanwhile, processed food prices increased by 2 percent, while transportation services rose by 2.5 percent.
Excluding regulated and non-regulated energy goods, inflation in January stood at 1.8 percent year-on-year, surpassing the overall inflation rate, ISTAT said.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.6 percent compared to December. The year-on-year inflation rate stood at 1.3 percent in December.
For 2024 as a whole, Italy's average inflation rate was 1 percent.
