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Сyprus Inflation Hits 1.7% As Euro Area Inflation Cools

Inflation Snapshot: Divergent Trends Across Regions

Recent data from Eurostat has highlighted contrasting inflation trends in Europe. In January 2026, Cyprus experienced a significant rise in inflation to 1.7% from 0.1% in December, while the broader euro area saw a slowdown, with inflation dropping from 2% to 1.7%.

Cyprus Economic Indicators

In January 2025, Cyprus recorded an inflation rate of 2.9%, according to the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP). This uptick underscores the tightening price pressures in the local economy. Additionally, monthly inflation in Cyprus increased by 0.2% in January, reflecting an accelerating trend that may warrant closer scrutiny from policymakers.

Underlying Drivers And Core Inflation Measures

By category, food, alcohol, and tobacco prices rose by 2.7%, slightly higher than the previous 2.5%, while non-energy industrial goods increased by 0.4%, broadly in line with December levels. Energy prices, however, fell sharply by 4.1% year on year, compared with a 1.9% decline a month earlier. This drop in energy costs contributed to a monthly decrease of 0.5% in overall euro area inflation. Excluding energy, inflation in the euro area stood at 2.3%. Core inflation, which excludes energy, food, alcohol, and tobacco, eased further to 2.2%.

Comparative Dynamics Across The Eurozone

Inflation rates continued to vary significantly among euro area member states. Slovakia recorded the highest annual rate at 4.2%, followed by Croatia at 3.6% and Lithuania at 2.8%. Greece also posted 2.8%, while Spain reached 2.5%. Belgium reported 1.4%, the Netherlands 2.2%, and Austria 2%. Germany stood at 2.1%, whereas France remained notably lower at 0.4%. Italy and Finland each recorded 1%, while Luxembourg and Portugal posted 1.6% and 1.9%, respectively.

Market Implications And Future Outlook

The latest figures highlight uneven inflation pressures across the euro area. For Cyprus, the recent uptick suggests a return of price growth after a very low December reading, while the broader euro area trend reflects easing pressures largely driven by falling energy costs. Economists and policymakers are expected to monitor these developments closely in the coming months as they assess the direction of monetary policy.

EU Services Production Grows As Information And Communication Lead

Services production continued to expand across the European Union in August 2026, with information and communication recording the strongest annual growth. However, performance varied significantly between industries and member states, while Cyprus reported a mixed picture, with business services expanding and hospitality-related activities declining.

Information And Communication Leads Sector Growth

Compared with August 2025, services production increased by 5.9% in the euro area and 5.8% across the EU in information and communication. Transportation and storage also recorded growth, rising by 2.1% and 1.9%, respectively.

Real estate activities increased by 1.6% in the euro area and 1.1% in the EU. Professional, scientific and technical activities grew by 1% in both areas, while administrative and support services advanced by 1.1% and 1.3%.

Accommodation and food services was the only major sector to record an annual decline, falling by 0.1% in both the euro area and the EU.

The monthly figures were more mixed. Information and communication remained the strongest performer, increasing by 1.2% in the euro area and 1% across the EU. Real estate activities rose by 0.4% and 0.9%, respectively, while transportation and storage edged up 0.1% in the euro area but declined by 0.2% in the EU.

Administrative and support services recorded modest gains of 0.2% in the euro area and 0.1% in the EU. Accommodation and food services fell by 0.3% and 0.4%, while professional, scientific and technical activities declined by 0.8% and 0.9%, respectively.

Slovakia And Greece Record Strongest Annual Growth

Romania recorded the largest monthly increase in services production, at 5.2%, followed by Malta at 1.8% and Portugal at 1.7%. Luxembourg experienced the steepest decline, with output falling by 5.1%, followed by Bulgaria at 2.3% and Denmark at 1.9%.

On an annual basis, Slovakia led with growth of 10%, followed by Greece at 9.3% and Malta at 7.5%. Hungary recorded the weakest performance, with services production declining by 5.6%. Denmark fell by 5.3%, while Italy recorded a smaller decrease of 0.3%.

Cyprus Sees Growth In Business Services But Weakness In Hospitality

Cyprus’ latest figures show a similar divide between expanding business services and weaker hospitality-related activities. According to the Statistical Service of Cyprus (Cystat), professional, scientific and technical activities recorded the strongest annual growth among the covered sectors in the second quarter of 2026, increasing by 3.4%.

Transportation and storage and information and communication both grew by 2.1%, while real estate activities rose by 1.6%. In contrast, accommodation and food services declined by 3.1% year on year, and administrative and support services fell by 2.2%.

First-half results were more favourable for several sectors. Between January and June, professional, scientific and technical activities grew by 3.5%, transportation and storage by 2.8%, real estate by 2.1% and information and communication by 1.3%.

Nevertheless, administrative and support services contracted by 1% over the six-month period, while accommodation and food services declined by 0.7%.

How Cyprus’ Figures Differ From Eurostat’s Data

The Eurostat and Cystat figures measure different aspects of economic activity and are not directly comparable. Eurostat’s services production index tracks changes in the volume of output, whereas Cystat’s Turnover Value Index for Services and Transport measures the value of sales at current prices.

The reporting periods also differ: Eurostat’s figures cover August, while the cited Cypriot data relate to the second quarter and first half of 2026.

Cystat transmits services production data to Eurostat but does not yet publish a separate national production index. Turnover figures therefore remain the main publicly available national indicator for the sector.

Taken together, the data point to continued growth in several of Cyprus’ business-oriented services, alongside persistent pressure on accommodation, food and administrative support activities.

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