Tunisia’s annual inflation rate rose to 6% in December after remaining steady for the last three months at 5.8 percent, driven largely by a jump in food prices, official data showed on Monday.
The food and drink price index rose 8.4% in December from a year earlier. Clothing and footwear prices rose 7.4%, the National Statistics institute said.
Consumer prices grew 0.7% from November to December 2013. The food and drink price index rose 1.2 percent.
Average inflation for the full year 2013 was 6.1%, up from 5.5% for 2012.
Tunisia’s Central Bank raised its benchmark interest rate to 4.5% from 4% at the end of December, citing inflation pressures.
The central bank does not target a particular inflation rate but says the most that should be tolerated is 5%. The rate has not dropped below 5% in 2013.