VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta’s annual inflation rate remained steady at 2.5% in July, the National Statistics Office confirmed, keeping it higher than both the EU and euro area averages. Eurostat data show that inflation across the EU edged up to 2.4%, while the euro area average held at 2.0%.
Malta’s rate, though above these benchmarks, was the 8th lowest among the EU’s 27 member states. Czechia, the Netherlands, and Portugal also recorded 2.5%. Despite Malta’s comparatively low position, inflation trends in major economies like Germany, France, and Italy ensured that most member states – 20 in all – reported rates above the EU average, with 21 exceeding the euro area’s. Notably, all non-euro members posted above-average inflation. The highest inflation levels were registered in Romania (6.6%), Estonia (5.6%) and Slovakia (4.6%). Cyprus (0.1%), France (0.9%) and Ireland (1.6%) reported the lowest rates.
Across the bloc, annual inflation fell in 8 member states, was unchanged in 6, and rose in 13. In Malta, food and non-alcoholic beverages were the main driver, contributing 0.64 percentage points to the overall rate, with meat prices leading the rise. Restaurants and hotels followed at +0.62pp, while transport added +0.54pp, driven largely by higher air fares. The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, which excludes owner-occupied housing, provides comparable data across EU states. However, housing remains a significant unmeasured cost in Malta, where property prices have surged in recent years.
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
