Cyprus inflation hits 3.7% in September as fuel and utility bills rise

Inflation in Cyprus reached 3.7% in September, with consumer prices rising 0.74% from August alone, according to figures released Thursday by the Statistical Service. Petroleum products cost 25.8% more than a year earlier, the electricity and water category rose 11.2%, transport prices overall increased 11.9%, and the broader category covering housing, water, electricity and other fuels climbed 9.6%. The September annual rate was above the 2.3% average recorded over the first nine months of the year. For households, the sharpest increases are in expenses that are hard to cut — commuting, school runs and small-business deliveries — leaving less money for everything else; a €1,000 basket last September would cost about €1,037 this September.