20.02.201804:46:00UTC+00Sweden Inflation Slows Unexpectedly In January

Sweden's consumer price inflation eased unexpectedly at the start of the year, though marginally, data from Statistics Sweden showed Tuesday.

Consumer prices climbed 1.6 percent year-over-year in January, slower than the 1.7 percent rise in December. Meanwhile, economists had expected the inflation to accelerate to 1.8 percent.

Month-on-month, consumer prices dropped 0.8 percent from December, when it rose by 0.4 percent.

The inflation rate according to the CPI with a fixed interest rate was 1.7 percent in January, down from 1.9 percent in December. The rate was forecast to remain stable at 1.9 percent.

On a monthly basis, CPIF declined 0.9 percent after a 0.4 percent rise in December.

The EU measure of inflation, or HICP increased at a slower rate of 1.6 percent yearly in January, following a 1.7 percent increase in the prior month.