WIESBADEN – As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the consumer price index for Germany is expected to increase by 0.4% on an annual average in 2009 compared with 2008. A similarly low year-on-year rate of price increase was last recorded for 1999 (+0.6%). In 2008 the inflation rate had been relatively high with an annual average of +2.6%. In December 2009 the rate of price increase is expected to reach 0.8% according to the results available from six Länder. Compared with November 2009, consumer prices have risen by 0.7%. Due to strong decreases in the prices of motor fuels, liquid fuel and in some food prices and owing to a mostly moderate development of the prices of other goods and services, very low inflation rates were recorded for the individual months of the year 2009; in July 2009 the inflation rate dropped to –0.5% and reached its lowest level since 1987. The harmonised consumer price index, which is calculated for European purposes, is expected to rise by 0.2% on an annual average in 2009 compared with the annual average of 2008. That is the lowest year-on-year rate of price increase ever calculated for the harmonised consumer price index for Germany. In December 2009, the harmonised consumer price index is expected to increase by 0.8% on December 2008. Compared with November 2009, this will be a price increase of 0.9%. The final results for the year 2009 and for December 2009 will be released on 14 January 2010.
