Annual inflation in Russia exceeded 16% – RBC

Annual inflation in Russia exceeded 16% – RBC

Photo: RIA Novosti

Less than two months have passed since the beginning of 2015, consumer prices in Russia increased by 5.8%, according to Rosstat. So quickly they did not rise since 1999. For comparison: in the pre-crisis 2013 by then to reach its current level of inflation almost a year – by the end of November 2013 it was 5,77%.

From 17 to 24 February this year, consumer prices in Russia increased by 0.6% since the beginning of February – by 1.9%. Given the fact that by February 24, 2014 they increased by 0.7%, which means that annual inflation in Russia is at 15% in January, now grown to about 16.2%. This is higher than the plan for 2015 (according to the Ministry of Economic Development, for the year prices are expected to grow by about 12%), and the key rate of the Central Bank (15%).

Of the products from 17 to 24 February fastest became more expensive tea (+ 2.1%) and frozen fish (+ 2%). Rose in price faster than inflation as vegetables and fruits. The price of onions, for example, jumped 1.7%, carrots increased by 1.4%, apples – by 0.8%. At the same time, tomatoes and cucumbers have become cheaper by 6.1% and 0.4%, respectively, so that the average increase in prices for fruit and vegetables was only 0,1%.

Of the remaining products more than 0 6% increased in price rice (1.7%), the subfamily lnechnoe oil (1.3%), beef (1%), flour and butter (0.8%). Going up rapidly in the past year, buckwheat fell by 0,1%.

In contrast to the prices of petrol products in Russia decreased. According to Rosstat, retail gasoline prices in January 2015 decreased by an average of 0.3%, while in Moscow – just 0.8%. The strongest decline in fuel prices turned Tuva, where they fell by 4.4%. The increase in gasoline prices was observed in 32 regions of Russia, while in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, they increased by 3%.

According to the calculations of the Central Bank, the annual inflation rate to fall below 10% in January 2016. Experts, however, in such a scenario is not too believe. In the February survey HSE notes that annual inflation by the summer can reach 20%.

Earlier, Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukayev did not rule out that the peak of inflation in Russia this year will be in March-April and will be from 15 to 17%. Among the factors influencing inflation, he called the change in exchange rate relations and their impact on prices – first for imported goods, “then all the rest».

The updated version of the socio-economic forecast Ministry of Economic Development said that in June Annual food inflation could reach 23,5-23,8%.