BRUSSELS (AFX) - The euro zone's January harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) fell 0.1 pct from December but was up 2.4 pct year-on-year compared with an annual rise of 2.6 pct in December and 1.9 pct in January 2000, the EU's statistics office Eurostat said. In the EU, HICP fell 0.2 pct from December, but was up 2.2 pct year-on-year, against an annual rise of 2.3 pct in December and of 1.8 pct in January 2000.
Excluding energy, the euro zone's HICP rose 0.2 pct in the month and 1.9 pct year-on-year.
Excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, the euro zone's HICP was unchanged in the month but up 1.6 pct year-on-year, it said. In the euro zone, the energy index fell 1.6 pct in the month but was up 8.0 pct year-on-year.
The food, alcohol and tobacco index rose 0.9 pct in the month and 2.7 pct year-on-year.
Amongst the HICP's sub-indices, the clothing sub-index fell most on a monthly basis (-2.6 pct) while the food sub-index rose most (+0.9 pct).
On an annual basis, the communications sub-index fell most (-4.6 pct) while the housing sub-index rose most (+4.9 pct).
The Netherlands posted the euro zone's highest annual HICP in January at 4.5 pct, followed by Portugal at 4.4 pct, Ireland at 3.9 pct, Spain at 3.8 pct, Greece at 3.2 pct, Finland and Luxembourg both at 2.9 pct, Belgium at 2.8 pct and Italy at 2.7 pct.
The UK posted the EU's lowest annual HICP rate in January at 0.9 pct, tracked by France at 1.4 pct, Sweden at 1.6 pct, Germany and Austria both at 2.2 pct, and Denmark at 2.3 pct.
The Dutch and Austrian January HICP figures are still provisional, Eurostat noted.