Consumer prices in April 2009: Presumably +0.7% on April 2008
WIESBADEN – As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the consumer price index for Germany is expected to rise 0.7% in April 2009 on April 2008 (March 2009: +0.5%), according to results available from six Länder. Compared with the previous month, the index will not change.
Compared with the previous month, the prices of liquid fuel and motor fuels were up for the first time since January. Depending on the Land, motor fuel prices rose by between 3.3% and 6.3%, liquid fuel prices by between 2.5% and 6.8%. Compared with April 2008, however, they were considerably lower (motor fuels: –13.6% to –17.1%; liquid fuel: –26.8% to –37.7%). Gas prices were down by between 7.5% and 13.2% on March. Compared with a year earlier, however, gas prices were still higher by between 2.3% and 7.1%. Prices of package holidays rose 16.5% on a year earlier, but decreased 0.9% on a month earlier. That calendar effect is due to Easter, which this year was in April, while in 2008 it was in March.
The harmonised consumer price index for Germany, which is calculated for European purposes, is expected to increase by 0.7% from April 2008 to April 2009 (March 2009: +0.4%). Compared with the previous month, the index will not change. The final results for April 2009 will be released on 12 May.
