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4 NEWS 9.11.2023 IN September 2023, industrial pro- ducer prices rose by 0.5% in the euro area and by 0.6% in the EU, compared with August 2023, according to esti- mates from Eurostat, the statistical of- fice of the European Union. In August 2023, prices increased by 0.7% in the euro area and by 0.5% in the EU. In September 2023, compared with September 2022, industrial producer prices decreased by 12.4% in the euro area and by 11.2% in the EU. Monthly comparison Industrial producer prices in the euro area in September 2023, com- pared with August 2023, increased by 2.2% in the energy sector, while prices remained stable for capital goods and for durable consumer goods, and pric- es decreased by 0.2% for both inter- mediate goods and non-durable con- sumer goods. Prices in total industry excluding energy decreased by 0.1%. In the EU, industrial producer prices increased by 2.1% in the energy sector and by 0.1% for capital goods, while prices remained stable for durable consumer goods, and prices decreased by 0.1% for intermediate goods and by 0.2% for non-durable consumer goods. Prices in total industry exclud- ing energy decreased by 0.1%. The biggest monthly increases in industrial producer prices were ob- served in Luxembourg (+28.5%), Ro- mania (+2.6%) and Bulgaria (+2.1%), while the largest decreases were re- corded in Finland (-0.9%), Cyprus and Poland (both -0.3%) and Germany (-0.2%). Annual comparison Industrial producer prices in the euro area in September 2023, compared with September 2022, decreased by 31.3% in the energy sector and by 4.8% for intermediate goods, while prices increased by 3.9% for capital goods, by 4.3% for durable consumer goods and by 5.5% for non-durable consum- er goods. Prices in total industry excluding en- ergy increased by 0.5%. In the EU, industrial producer pric- es decreased by 28.5% in the energy sector and by 4.7% for intermedi- ate goods, while prices increased by 3.7% for durable consumer goods, by 3.8% for capital goods and by 5.4% for non-durable consumer goods. Prices in total industry excluding energy in- creased by 0.4%. The largest annual decreases in industrial producer prices were re- corded in Ireland (-38.9%), Bulgar- ia (-32.0%) and Italy (-18.3%). The highest annual increases were record- ed in Luxembourg (+23.8%), Hungary (+7.1%) and Slovenia (+3.1%). September IPP up by 0.6% in the EU Volume of retail trade down by 0.3% in the euro area GPC, Trident Trust and Nectar top Business Leaders Malta's list of best places to work for 2022-2023 from research conducted on employee engagement and saEsfacEon by BLM market research arm Esprimi. e scope of the annual award has been to recog- nise organisaEons for their outstanding work in em- ployee engagement and saEsfacEon. Awards have been presented to the highest-scoring companies that would have parEcipated in a rigorous scienEfic study carried out by BLM's research arm Esprimi. As part of the research process, parEcipaEng com- panies must complete a strict research process and meet the required high standard in their respecEve categories (based on company size) to achieve a win- ning status. e research tool allows to recognise top employers by assessing and quanEfying employees' aPtudes and percepEons across nine crucial domains. e domains explore various aspects, including the level of care, recogniEon, team cohesiveness, leadership effecEve- ness, focus on performance management, and com- mitment to employee development and company cul- ture. e tool also uses an internaEonally validated set of quesEons to assess employee engagement. Apart from the awards handed out to winners, or- ganisaEons whose results are excepEonally high in employee engagement, saEsfacEon and response rate are also awarded an Employer of Choice cerEficate. Among those companies who received the Employ- er of Choice CerEficate this year were AMSM, Atlas and Malta Gaming Authority. BLM's Esprimi has years of experience analysing the local landscape and working with leading compa- nies across the island making its recogniEon process one of the most robust in the local arena, equipping clients with utmost precision and unsurpassed accu- racy. IN September 2023, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade de- creased by 0.3% in the euro area and by 0.2% in the EU, compared with August 2023, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In August 2023, the retail trade volume de- creased by 0.7% in the euro area and by 0.5% in the EU. In September 2023 compared with September 2022, the calendar adjusted retail sales index decreased by 2.9% in the euro area and by 2.7% in the EU. In the euro area in September 2023, compared with August 2023, the volume of retail trade decreased by 1.9% for non-food products and by 0.9% for automotive fuels, while it increased by 1.4% for food, drinks and tobacco. In the EU, the volume of retail trade decreased by 1.8% for non- food products, while it increased by 0.1% for automotive fuels and by 1.3% for food, drinks and tobacco. Among Member States for which data are available, the largest monthly decreases in the total retail trade volume were registered in Slo- vakia (-2.0%), Sweden (-1.1%), Ger- many and the Netherlands (both -0.8%). e highest increases were observed in Slovenia (+1.1%), Po- land (+1.0%) and Denmark (+0.9%). In the euro area in September 2023, compared with September 2022, the volume of retail trade de- creased by 7.5% for automotive fu- els, by 3.4% for non-food products and by 1.0% for food drinks and to- bacco. In the EU, the retail trade volume decreased by 6.9% for automotive fuels, by 3.2% for non-food prod- ucts and by 0.9% for food, drinks and tobacco. Among Member States for which data are available, the largest year- ly decreases in the total retail trade volume were registered in Slovenia (-17.0%), Belgium (-8.4%) and Hun- gary (-7.3%). e highest increases were observed in Spain (+7.5%), Cyprus (+4.1%) and Luxembourg (+2.6%). GPC, Trident Trust, and Nectar named Malta's best places to work in 2022-2023 Retail trade volume

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