The consumer price index in the euro area, including Germany and France, rose 8.5% last month compared to the same month the previous year, marking the third straight month of contraction.
Attention will be paid to what kind of judgment the European Central Bank, which continues to raise interest rates to curb inflation, will show at the meeting to decide monetary policy on the 2nd.
According to the EU = European Union's announcement on the 1st, the consumer price index of the euro zone, which has become 20 countries with the addition of Croatia, rose 8.5% last month compared to the same month of the previous year. .
Growth fell below the previous month's 9.2%, marking the third straight month of contraction.
The main reason is that the rate of increase in energy prices has slowed down, and the rate of increase is 17.2% compared to the same month of the previous year, a sharp decline from the level that once exceeded 40% last year. increase.
By country,
▽ Italy was 10.9%, which was less than the previous month's increase rate of more than 12%,
▽ France was 7.0%, and Spain was 5.8%, both of which were small expansions from the previous month.
With Europe having a record warm winter this winter and natural gas prices dropping recently, some say the peak of inflation has passed.
However, the price increase rate continues to be well above the European Central Bank's target of 2%, and attention will be paid to what kind of judgment will be shown at the monetary policy meeting scheduled for the 2nd.