The annual rate of inflation as measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices in August was 0.4%, up from 0.3% a month earlier.

The National Statistics Office said the 12-month moving average for August was 0.2%.

According to Eurostat, Malta's rate was the lowest registered in the EU, followed by Greece (1.2%) and Portugal (1.3%). The highest annual rates were recorded in Estonia, Lithuania and Poland (all 5%). Compared with July, annual inflation remained stable in one member state and rose in 26.

The largest upward impact on annual inflation in Malta was measured in the food and non-alcoholic beverages index (0.5 percentage points) while the largest downward impact was recorded in the restaurants and hotels index (-0.96 percentage points).

The HICP measures monthly price changes in the cost of purchasing a representative basket of consumer goods and services. 

It is calculated according to rules specified in a series of European Union regulations that were developed by Eurostat in conjunction with EU states. 

The HICP is used to compare inflation rates across the EU. A closely related measure of price movements is the Retail Price Index (RPI). 

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