Italian inflation rises in April

Rome, May 15 (IANS/AKI) Consumer prices rose 0.4 percent on the month in April and 1.9 percent on the year, national statistics office Istat said on Monday - the highest annual figure in over four years.

Annual inflation in March compared with a preliminary estimate of 1.8 percent and with a 1.4 percent increase from March 2016, the Istat figures showed.

Core inflation (net of fresh food and energy) climbed 1.1 percent in April, up from +0.7 percent in March, according to Istat.

The rise in April inflation year-on-year owed mainly to jumps in regulated energy product prices, notably natural gas and electricity, as well as transport services, Istat said.

The monthly increase in inflation in April was due to higher transport, repair and personal care services, according to Istat.

Consumer group Codacons said April's 1.9 percent jump in annual inflation would mean extra spending of 570 euros a year for the average household.

Italian consumer prices fell in 2016, the first year of deflation since 1959, according to figures issued by Istat in early January.

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