ROME, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Italy's inflation rate inched up in June, reversing a brief slowdown in consumer price growth seen in the previous month, according to preliminary data released Monday by the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT).
Consumer prices were up 1.7 percent year-on-year in June from 1.6 percent in May, the agency said.
On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.2 percent, driven primarily by higher costs for both processed and unprocessed food, as well as transportation services. These gains offset slower price growth in regulated energy products.
The data signals a return to the upward inflation trend that had persisted for seven consecutive months before pausing in May.
Despite the uptick, Italy's inflation rate remains below the European Central Bank's 2 percent target for the 20-member eurozone. The last time Italy exceeded that threshold was in September 2023.
However, core inflation -- which excludes volatile items such as energy and fresh food -- rose to 2.1 percent in June from 1.9 percent in May, indicating that underlying price pressures may persist. ■
