ROME (Reuters) -Italian EU-harmonised consumer prices (HICP) rose 0.5% month-on-month in April and the annual inflation rate was stable at 2.1%, preliminary figures from official statistics agency ISTAT showed on Wednesday.
A Reuters survey of 21 analysts had pointed to a 0.6% month-on-month increase and a 2.3% year-on-year rise.
Core inflation (net of fresh food and energy) was running at 2.2% year-on-year on the HICP index in April, up from 1.9% in March.
ISTAT also reported that the main domestic price index (NIC), was up 0.2% on the month and up 2.0% annually in April, following a 1.9% annual rate the previous month.
(Reporting by Antonella Cinelli, graphic by Stefano Bernabei, editing by Gavin Jones)
