VALLETTA, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Malta's annual rate of inflation as measured by the retail price index (RPI) rose to 2.1 percent in March, up from 1.9 percent in February, according to figures released by the National Statistics Office on Wednesday.
The highest annual inflation was recorded in the clothing and footwear category, which saw a 4.3 percent increase. This was followed by beverages and tobacco, with prices rising by 3.8 percent. In contrast, the water, electricity, gas, and fuels sector experienced the lowest inflation rate, with prices remaining unchanged over the year.
The main driver of the overall annual inflation in March was the food index, contributing 0.56 percentage points, largely due to higher prices in restaurant services. ■
