More smart phones, tablets added to Italian inflation basket
Number of consumer goods used for calculations increases
05 February, 11:47
(ANSA) - Rome, February 5 - Italy's national statistical
agency said Tuesday that it is changing the items in the
shopping basket it uses to calculate inflation.Istat said that it is adding a larger number of smartphones, tablet computers, and electronic books to its long list of products included in inflation calculations.
For 2013, Istat will measure trends in consumer costs by following prices on almost 1,430 products, up from the 1,383 different items measured last year.
Other new entries include additional types of children's underwear and natural gas used in transportation.
Istat announced its revised basket at the same time it reported that Italy's inflation rate dropped to 2.2% in January, down from 2.3% in December, as the country's recession deepened.
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