2018.01.1502:24:00UTC+00Finland Inflation Eases In December

Finland's consumer price inflation eased in December after accelerating in the previous month, figures from Statistics Finland showed Monday.

The consumer price index climbed 0.5 percent year-over-year in December, slower than November's 0.8 percent increase. The measure has been rising since April 2016.

Health costs grew 1.1 percent annually in December and transport costs went up by 0.6 percent. Meanwhile, clothing and footwear prices dropped 2.6 percent.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices remained flat in December, following a 0.2 percent rise in November.

The EU measure of inflation, or HICP increased 0.5 percent yearly in December, while it dropped 0.1 percent from the preceding month.

In 2017, the average inflation rate was 0.7 percent compared with 2016.

Separately, the statistical office revealed that country's current account surplus shrank to EUR 86 million in November from EUR 177 million in October.