Inflation stood at 1.2 percent in January — a rise of 0.2 percent on the previous month, according to statistics released today.

The Consumer Price Index showed that the health and personal care sector was the largest contributor to the increase, as it was for the entire fourth quarter of 2009. The increase for January was 7.2 percent equaling the increase measured in December last year.

The food and household goods, services and communications sectors also impacted strongly on the annual rate of inflation, as price shifts in these two sectors were both three percent.