Eurozone, February inflation down to 2.6 percent

Brussels – In February, inflation in the eurozone is expected at 2.6 percent, down 0.2 percentage points from January (2.8 percent), according to preliminary data released by Eurostat today. Leading the reduction is mainly ‘food, alcohol and tobacco’ (at 4 percent in February, down from 5.6 percent in January). Smaller declines were recorded for services (3.9 percent, compared to 4 percent in January) and non-energy industrial goods (1.6 percent, compared to 2 percent in January).

At the member state level, the European Statistical Office sees declines in Germany (from 3.1 percent to 2.7 percent), France (from 3.4 percent to 3.1 percent), Spain (from 3.5 percent to 2.9 percent) and the Netherlands (from 3.1 percent to 2.7 percent). Stable at 0.9 percent is the expected inflation rate for Italy. There was an inflation spike in Belgium, where the cost of living rose from 1.5 percent in January to an expected 3.6 percent in February.