Inflation in Ukraine 0.6% in May, 2% in 5M

MOSCOW. June 10 (Interfax) - Inflation in Ukraine quickened to 0.6% in May from 0.2% in April, 0.5% in March, 0.3% in February and 0.4% in January, Ukrainian media reported, citing the State Statistics Service.

Consumer prices rose 2% in January-May.

Annual inflation was 3.3% in May, 3.2% in April and March, 4.3% in February and 4.7% in January.

Core inflation slowed to 0.3% in May from 0.7% in April, 1% in March and 0.4% in each of February and January. In annual terms core inflation was 4.4% in May, as in April, 4.2% in March, 4.5% in February and 4.6% in January.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages rose 0.9% in price in May, the biggest increases being 10.4% for fruit. Prices rose 0.4%-1.3% for vegetables, rice, fish and fish products, bread, dairy products, sugar, pasta, meat and meat products and butter, but fell 14.3% for eggs and 0.4%-1.7 % for salo, milk and dairy products.

Prices for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products increased by 0.7% last month. Clothing and shoes fell in price by 1.5%.

An increase in healthcare prices of 0.9% was driven by pharmaceutical prices, which rose 1.2%.

Transport fares rose 0.9%, mainly due to 1.1% price growth for fuel and lubricants.

Inflation slowed to 5.1% in 2023 from 26.6% in 2022 and 10% in 2021.

The National Bank of Ukraine at the end of April improved its 2024 inflation forecast from 8.6% to 8.2% and worsened its 2025 forecast from 5.8% to 6%.