Bulgaria's factory-gate prices jumped 3.3% in August from July, the biggest monthly rise in the European Union alongside Estonia, according to preliminary data from Eurostat. On the year, prices were up 16.8%, the second-highest rate in the EU after Ireland.
In July the increase in Bulgaria had been smaller, at 0.6% on the month and 12.5% on the year.
Besides Bulgaria, Estonia also posted a 3.3% monthly rise. They were followed by Italy with 3.1% and Denmark with 3%. On an annual basis, only Ireland ranked above Bulgaria, with 17.1%, while Lithuania came in just behind with 14.6%. Luxembourg was the only EU country where prices fell on the year, down 7.9%.
Producer prices across the eurozone and the EU as a whole rose 1.9% in August from July, after monthly gains of 1.6% in the eurozone and 1.4% in the EU in July. On the year, prices were up 8.2% in the eurozone and 8% in the EU, compared with 5.8% and 5.6% respectively in July.
Energy drove most of the monthly rise. Energy prices climbed 5.6% in the eurozone and 5.5% in the EU. Strip out energy and prices rose just 0.2% in both regions. Intermediate goods cost 0.4% more on the month in both the eurozone and the EU. Durable consumer goods prices rose 0.4% in the eurozone and 0.3% in the EU, while capital goods prices rose 0.2% everywhere. Non-durable consumer goods prices edged up 0.1% in the eurozone and 0.2% in the EU.
On the year, energy again drove most of the increase, up 21% in the eurozone and 20.7% in the EU. Outside the energy sector, producer prices rose 3.4% in the eurozone and 3.3% in the EU. Intermediate goods prices climbed 6.8% and 6.5%, capital goods prices rose 2.6% and 2.4%, and durable consumer goods prices were up 3.4% and 3.2%. Only non-durable consumer goods got cheaper on the year, down 0.8% in the eurozone and 0.7% in the EU.
The producer price index tracks how much factories charge for industrial goods sold on the domestic market, and does not include imported products. Eurostat's figures are not adjusted for seasonal or calendar effects.