Inflation up from 0.2% to 0.5% in Dec

(ANSA) - Rome, January 17 - Italian inflation rose from 0.2% in November to 0.5% in December, ISTAT said Friday, confirming a preliminary estimate issued earlier this month.
    It said there were contingent reasons for the more than double leap.
    The rise, it said, was "largely due to an acceleration in oil prices, a very volatile component of the inflation basket".
    The inflation rate for the whole of 2019 came out at 0.6%, half the 1.2% it was in 2018, ISTAT said.
    "This confirms the weakness of the retail price index over the past year", it said.
    ISTAT further said that household disposable income rose again in the third quarter, by 0.3%.
    This compared to a gain of 1.0% in the previous quarter.
    Purchasing power performed the same, the stats agency said.
    ISTAT said this was due to the "negative inflation dynamic".
    The inflation 'trolley' of most frequently bought goods also rose 0.6% in December, and 0.6% over the whole of 2019.