This was the lowest reading since December 2021, mainly due to lower inflation for food and non-alcoholic beverages (6.5% vs 7.8% in November) and housing and utilities (4.6% vs 5.2%).

Moreover, prices slowed for furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (5.4% vs 6.2%), restaurants and hotels (9.5% vs 10.1%), and miscellaneous goods and services (6.6% vs 7%).

In contrast, transport accelerated to 3.6%, after a 0.2% decline in November. On a monthly basis, the consumer price index (CPI) fell 0.1%, following a 0.2% rise in the previous month.