Brussels, 28/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - Annual inflation in the euro area was 2.3% in January 2011, up from 2.2% in December 2010. A year earlier the rate was 0.9%. Monthly inflation was -0.7% in January 2011. EU annual inflation was 2.7% in January 2011, unchanged from December 2010. A year earlier the rate was 1.7%. Monthly inflation was -0.4% in January 2011.
In January 2011, the lowest annual rates were in Ireland (0.2%) and Sweden (1.4%), and the highest in Romania (7.0%), Estonia (5.1%) and Greece (4.9%). Compared with December 2010, annual inflation rose in 15 and fell in 12 member states. The lowest 12-month averages up to January 2011 were registered in Ireland (-1.4%), Latvia (-0.7%) and Slovakia (1.0%) and the highest in Romania (6.2%), Greece (4.9%) and Hungary (4.5%).
The main components with the highest annual rates in January 2011 were transport (5.1%), housing (4.5%) and alcohol and tobacco (3.7%). The main components with the highest monthly rates were housing (1.2%), transport (1.0%) and health (0.6%). (L.C./transl.rt)