RETAIL PRICES IN OCTOBER 0.1 PERCENT LOWER

ZAGREB, Nov 8 (Hina) - Retail prices in August rose by one percent, the State Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday, correcting previously issued data. Based on corrected data and price movements in October, retail prices last month were 0.1 percent and the costs of living 0.5 percent lower than in September. Retail prices in October rose by 3.2 percent as against October 2000, and were 5.3 percent higher in this year's first ten months as against the same time the year before. The costs of living in this year's first ten months rose by 5.2 percent when compared to the same time in 2000, and were 2.5 percent higher this October as against the same month the year before. According to corrected data regarding retail prices of services, in August they were 4.6 percent higher than in July. The costs of living in August rose by 0.1 percent as against the month before, with a 10.3 percent increase in the prices of transport, post and telecommunications services. The corrected data have also affected the inflation rate, which last August was 4.9 percent and in September 3.8 percent higher than in August and September 2000. (hina) ha