2018.01.1606:31:00UTC+00Ireland Inflation Slows In December

Ireland's consumer price inflation eased for the second straight month in December, though marginally, data from the Central Statistics Office showed Tuesday.

The consumer price index climbed 0.4 percent year-over-year in December, just below the 0.5 percent increase in November. The measure has been rising since August.

Utility costs grew 3.6 percent annually in December, while prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages dropped by 1.2 percent.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices edged down 0.1 percent from November, when it decreased by 0.2 percent.

The annual average rate of inflation in 2017 was 0.4 percent compared with no change for 2016.

Inflation, based on the harmonized index of consumer prices, held steady at 0.5 percent in December.

Month-on-month, the HICP increased at a stable rate of 0.1 percent in December.