BUDAPEST, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Hungary's consumer price index (CPI) rose by 1.8 percent year-on-year in March, up from 1.4 percent in February, according to data released Wednesday by the Hungarian Central Statistical Office.
Food prices were unchanged from a year earlier, while prices excluding food and beverage serving services fell by 3.2 percent. Service prices rose 4.1 percent year-on-year, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products increased 5.5 percent, and prices for electricity, gas and other fuels were up 4.3 percent. Consumer durable prices rose 2.7 percent, pharmaceutical products became 6.0 percent more expensive, while motor fuel prices fell 3.0 percent.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased by 0.4 percent in March, with food prices edging down 0.1 percent, and service prices rising 0.2 percent. Motor fuel prices increased by 4.6 percent month-on-month, and clothing and footwear prices rose 1.9 percent.
Following the data release, the Ministry for National Economy said the government's margin-reduction measures had helped slow price growth, noting that the prices of cold food products dropped by 3.2 percent from a year earlier.
The ministry said the government would continue the fight against price increases, while promoting existing measures such as wage increases, tax cuts, margin reduction and voluntary price caps agreed with banks, insurers, telecommunications firms and pharmaceutical companies. ■