Consumer price index as of 15 January 1997:

More expensive electricity, gasoline, beverages and tobacco

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The consumer price index rose 0.8 per cent from December 1996 to January 1997. Price increases for electricity, and higher taxes on gasoline, beverages and tobacco were major factors in the change. Reduced telephone charges and seasonal sales of clothing, shoes and furniture offset part of the increase.

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Electricity prices climbed about six per cent from December to January, and was the largest single contributory factor to the change in this period. At the same time last year prices fell by nearly one per cent. The price increase is primarily due to higher prices for mains rental and power. Only one-tenth of the price increase is tied to the increase in the electricity tax. Around 90 per cent of the utilities in the sample have raised prices since December, while the others lowered prices. The utilities that increased prices are scattered around the country. In January 1997 an average household paid nearly 22 per cent more for electricity compared to the same time last year.

Tax increase

From December to January gasoline prices rose nearly seven per cent, primarily because of higher taxes. The gasoline tax increased by 40 øre per litre for both leaded and unleaded gasoline, in addition to 2 øre per litre in CO2 taxes. The increase in the vehicle excise duty on motor vehicles had only a slight impact on car prices. One reason can be the appreciation of the krone, and continued sales of last year's models. Car prices nevertheless clearly contribute to the change in the 12-month growth rate. This is due to the restructuring of the motor vehicle tax schedules in January last year, which reduced car prices by 4.6 per cent.

New Statistics

Consumer price index as of 15 January 1997.
Statistics are published every month in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics. More information: Berit Koht, tel. +47 21 09 44 58, e-mail: bkt@ssb.no, Lasse Sandberg, tel. +47 21 09 47 16, e-mail: san@ssb.no, Geir Ormseth, tel. +47 21 09 47 22, e-mail: geo@ssb.no or Randi Johannessen, tel. +47 21 09 47 30, e-mail: raj@ssb.no.

Weekly Bulletin Weekly Bulletin issue no. 7, 1997