Malta continues to be in deflation

In August, the annual rate of in?ation as measured by the Retail Price Index stood at -0.03 per cent, the NSO said. In July, Malta was also in deflation. In the month under review, the annual rate stood at -0.03 per cent. A year earlier the annual rate was 1.50 per cent. The largest downward impacts on annual in?ation were brought about by the Water, Electricity, Gas and Fuels Index (-0.63 percentage points) and the Transport and Communication Index (-0.30 percentage points).  This was mainly due to lower electricity rates and airfares respectively. The main upward impacts were recorded in the Recreation and Culture Index (0.32 percentage points), the Beverages and Tobacco Index (0.22 percentage points) and the Household Equipment and House Maintenance Costs Index (0.12 percentage points), mainly due to higher private tuition fees, prices of cigarettes and household appliances respectively. The twelve-month moving average rate was 0.35 per cent, according to independent.com