Barcelona (CNA).- The negative inflation rate has been accentuated by the drop in electricity and housing prices, which has led to an annual decrease in housing (-3.5%) and transportation (-6.6%) prices. However, the sector which registered the highest drop this September was neither of these; the leisure sector's prices decreased by 3% in comparison to the same month last year. On the other side, the price of clothing, education and medicine has increased this month, while food and non-alcoholic beverage prices remained steady. All the Autonomous Communities have seen a decrease in the annual inflation rate and in Spain as a whole prices have dropped by 0.9%. The trend in Catalonia was slightly better, as prices dropped by 0.5% this September. This is the second negative figure in a row this year, after August's 0.1% decrease in prices.
The sectors which registered the highest drop this September in Catalonia were leisure (-3%), transportation (-1.5%), hotels and restaurants (-1.3%), prices related to housing (-0.9%) and alcoholic beverages and tobacco (-0.1%). The communications, food and non-alcoholic beverages and other goods and services groups remained steady this month. On the other hand, clothing and footwear registered the highest increase (4.3%), followed by furniture and education (0.4% in both cases) and medicine (0.1%).
In annual terms, the drop in electricity and fuel prices has led to a drop in housing and transportation prices, which have dropped by 6.6% and 4.5% respectively, compared to September last year.
The drop in prices in Spain as a whole has been higher than in Catalonia, decreasing by 0.9%. As in Catalonia, this rate is the second negative figure in a row, as in August prices in the whole of Spain also dropped, by 0.4%. All the Autonomous Communities have seen a decrease in the annual inflation rate. The Balearic Islands top the ranking with the lowest decrease (-0.4%) and Catalonia is in second position, together with the Basque Country, with a 0.5% decrease.