Cheaper airfares and internet services pushed the price index down in November, even though food and clothing prices continued to climb, official figures show.

Data released by the National Statistics Office yesterday show the retail price index dropped by 0.23 per cent last month when compared to October, reflecting a drop of almost three per cent in the transport and communication index.

The statistical agency said transport and communication prices decreased as a result of seasonallylower airfares and cheaper internet services.

A marginal drop was also registered in the housing index as a result of lower prices for house maintenance services. But most other indices registered upward movements, with higher prices for fruit and vegetables contributing to an increase of 0.87 per cent in the food index.

Seasonally-higher prices for clothes pushed the clothing and footwear index up by 2.2 per cent.

The NSO said higher prices for newspapers and books saw the recreation and culture index climb 0.4 per cent, while higher jewelry prices raised the goods and services index by 0.63 per cent.

Similar increases in the price of furniture and household textiles pushed the household equipment index up by 0.56 per cent while the beverage and tobacco index rose by 0.12 per cent.

In November, the 12-month moving average rate of inflation, which is used for statistical comparisons with other EU countries, stood at 2.82 per cent.