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In May 2015, annual (May 2016, against May 2015) inflation calculated based on the HICP stood at 0.2%. CPI-based inflation stood at 0.5%.

Average annual inflation calculated based on the HICP

The overall monthly (May 2016, against April) change in prices for consumer goods and services calculated based on the HICP was zero – because the increase in prices for some consumer goods and services was counterbalanced by a decrease in prices for others. The same trends were recorded in the CPI-based price change.

Table 1. Rates of change in prices for consumer goods and services calculated based on the HICP, May 2016

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¹ Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose adapted to the needs of the harmonised index of consumer prices (COICOP/HICP).

Table 2. COICOP/HICP classes of consumer goods and services whose rates of change in prices had the biggest impact on the overall price change

The overall change in consumer prices is influenced not only by the size of the price change for a certain product but also by the relative share of expenditure on that product in the total consumption expenditure.

Differences between the HICP and the CPI

Purpose. The HICP is an instrument for measuring inflation in the EU and making international comparisons, as well as for the compilation of the European index of consumer prices (covering 28 EU member states), Monetary Union index of consumer prices (covering 19 EU member states belonging to the euro area: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain), and the European Economic Area index of consumer prices (covering 28 EU member states, Iceland and Norway). The extent to which a country fulfils the price stability criterion, established in Article 140 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, is measured taking into consideration the inflation rate calculated based on the HICP.

The CPI is used to measure the inflation rate in the country; it is the key instrument for indexation.

Coverage. The HICP, alongside consumption expenditure incurred by the residents of the country, covers consumption expenditure incurred by non-residents and visitors from abroad within the economic territory of the country. The CPI covers consumption expenditure incurred only by the residents of the country within the economic territory of the country. The HICP does not cover household expenditure on games of chance and financial intermediation services, while the CPI does cover them.

Weights. Due to a different coverage of consumption expenditure, weighting systems used for the HICP and CPI compilation differ. This is the primary factor leading to differences in index values.

Classification. For the calculation of the CPI, the Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) is used. The Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose adapted to the needs of HICPs has been adjusted for the calculation of the HICP.

Concepts

Inflation is a long-term increase in the general price level, resulting in a decrease in the purchasing power of money. Inflation is usually calculated based on the consumer price index and expressed in per cent

Annual inflation shows the relative change in the average price level in the reporting month and the corresponding month of the previous year.

Average annual inflation shows the relative change in the average price level in the last twelve months and the corresponding previous twelve months.

Harmonised index of consumer prices is a consumer price index compiled according to a methodology harmonised across the European Union.

Consumer price index is a relative indicator reflecting the overall change in prices for consumer goods and services purchased by households to satisfy their consumption needs over a certain period of time.

For more information, see the Database of Indicators of Statistics Lithuania and Eurostat's website.