TIRANA (Albania), March 8 (SeeNews) – Albania's consumer price inflation accelerated to 2.1% year-on-year in February, from 1.7% in January, the statistical office, INSTAT, said on Thursday.
Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, which have the largest weight of 38.6% in the consumer basket, grew by 2.7% on the year in February, after adding an annual 2.2% in the previous month.
Housing, water, electricity and fuel prices, which have a weight of 20.9% in the consumer basket, rose 3.1% on the year in February, after an annual increase of 3.3% in January.
On a monthly comparison basis, consumer prices in Albania added 0.8% in February, after increasing 1.5% in the previous month.
In January, Albania's central bank decided to keep its key interest rate unchanged at record low 1.25%. Inflation is anticipated to return to the central bank's target of 3% around the first half of 2019.