Inflation 1% in January, highest in over three years

(ANSA) - Rome, February 22 - Italy's annual inflation rate was 1% in January, ISTAT said on Wednesday, its highest level in over three years. The national statistics agency revised the figure up from its preliminary estimate of 0.9%. This annual rise was up from a 0.5% increase in December. It is the biggest increase since the 1.2% rate registered in August 2013. It was driven by the speed-up of the annual growth of prices of non-regulated energy products (+9.0%, from +2.4% in the previous month) and of unprocessed food (+5.3%, from +1.8% in December 2016). The Italian consumer price index for the whole nation (NIC) increased by 0.3% on monthly basis, ISTAT said.
    The prices in Italy's 'trolley' of most frequently bought goods rose 1.9% in January compared to the same month in 2016, compared to an annual rise of 0.6% in December, ISTAT said. The trolley for items such as food, personal and household items was up 1.1% in January compared to the previous month.