BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Dutch consumer price inflation increased slightly in August to the highest level in three months, preliminary figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics showed on Tuesday.
Separate official data showed that the annual retail sales growth moderated for the second straight month in July.
Consumer prices logged an annual increase of 3.3 percent in August, faster than the 3.2 percent rise in July. Prices have been rising since November 2023.
An 11.7 percent surge in energy costs, including motor fuels, primarily drove the upward trend in inflation. The annual price growth in non-energy goods accelerated to 1.4 percent from 1.2 percent. Meanwhile, inflation based on services eased to 3.7 percent from 4.0 percent, and prices for food and beverages were 0.5 percent less expensive.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices moved up 0.3 percent.
The EU measure of inflation, the harmonized index of consumer prices, rose 2.8 percent annually in August versus a 3.0 percent increase in July.
Retail sales climbed 2.8 percent annually in July, following a 2.9 percent increase in June. Moreover, this was the weakest growth in five months. Sales in the non-food sector increased 3.6 percent, and those in the food sector advanced by 1.5 percent. Online retail turnover was 3.8 percent higher.
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