Russian inflation slows to 0.2% in week - Rosstat
MOSCOW. Feb 16 (Interfax) - Inflation in Russia slowed for the second week running to 0.2% in the period February 8-14, the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) said.
Consumer prices rose 0.5% since the start of February and 2.9% since the start or 2010.
Inflation was 2.1% for the period January 1-February 14, 2010.
The past week saw price rises of 2.2% for buckwheat (17.8% since the start of the year), 2% for millet (13.4%) and 0.4%-0.7% for sugar, fish, bread, flour and beef.
Fruit and vegetable prices rose 0.7%, including growth of 1.1% for onion, 0.9% for cabbage and 0.8% for apples and carrots.
Retail gasoline prices were static last week, and diesel prices fell 2.4%. The latest crusade against the oil companies by the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) is thought to be behind the slowdown in fuel price inflation.
Heating and hot water supply went up 0.3% in price.
The Russian Economic Development Ministry forecasts 7%-8% inflation in 2011.