RIGA — Both Latvia and Lithuania recorded slight improvements in industrial producer prices during December, another sign that the two countries’ economies are improving.

Lithuania posted the third biggest rise in the producer price index for the EU with a 0.6 percent increase during the month against November. Latvia posted a 0.5 percent rise in the same period.

Estonia saw a 0.2 percent decline in producer prices during December, a slight decline against the EU average, which was steady.

Year on year statistics from the Eurostat release show that prices in the three countries are still lower than December 2008. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia recorded 5.6, 10.1 and 3.1 percent contractions in prices respectively over the year. All of the figures were improvements on the worst recorded for any nation over the second half of 2009, signaling the start of new growth.

Over the year, energy prices dropped by 2.6 percent across the EU. Durable consumer goods however rose in price by 0.9 percent.