ROME, May 29 (Reuters) – Italian EU-harmonised consumer prices (HICP) rose by 0.4% in May from the month before, with the annual inflation rate surging to 3.3% from 2.8% in April amid increasing energy costs due to turmoil in the Middle East, preliminary data showed on Friday.
The reading was slightly above a median forecast in a Reuters survey of 17 analysts which pointed to an increase of 0.3% month-on-month and a year-on-year rise of 3.2%.
Official statistics agency ISTAT also reported that the main domestic price index (NIC) was up 0.4% month-on-month in May and up 3.2% annually, following a 2.7% annual increase in April.
Core inflation (net of fresh food and energy) was running at 1.8% year-on-year on the HICP index in May, accelerating from 1.6% in April.
(Reporting by Antonella Cinelli, graphic by Stefano Bernabei, editing by Gavin Jones)