YEREVAN, January 9. /ARKA/. Armenia’s inflation in 2011 advanced by 7.7% from a year earlier, mainly due to an 11.2% rise in prices of foodstuffs (including alcoholic beverages and tobacco products) and a 3.6% rise in prices of services, according to the latest numbers, released by the National Statistical Service. It said prices for industrial goods rose by 3.4%.

Consumer price index in December 2011 compared to December 2010 rose by 4.7%, including a 5.8% rise in prices of foodstuffs (including alcoholic beverages and tobacco), a 4.3% rise in prices of non-food products and a 2.9% rise in prices of services.

In 2011, the average monthly growth of consumer prices was 0.4% versus 0.8% in 2010. In December consumer price index advanced by 2.5% from November. The prices of foodstuffs (including alcoholic beverages and tobacco) rose by 4.4% in 2010 December, prices for industrial goods by 0.5% while prices of services by 0.1%.

Consumer prices in December rose by 1.6%-3.4% in all surveyed towns. The highest growth was recorded in Gyumri. In the capital Yerevan the inflation rate in December was 2.5%. The government inflation projection for 2011 is 4% (± 1.5%). -0-