Eurozone inflation drops to 2 percent in December

Brussels – The Eurozone’s inflation declined slightly in December, with the cost-of-living index falling to 2 percent from 2.1 percent in November. Eurostat’s preliminary estimates, released today (7 January), show a slight decrease in services (3.4 percent, compared to 3.5 percent in November), and in non-energy industrial goods (0.4 percent, compared to 0.5 percent in November). The decline in energy was more pronounced (-1.9 percent, compared to -0.5 percent in November), while the cost of food was up (2.6 percent, compared to 2.4 percent in November).

At the member state level, inflation decreased slightly in Germany (from 2.6 percent to 2 percent), Spain (from 3.2 percent to 3 percent), and France (from 0.8 percent to 0.7 percent). Among the major eurozone economies, Italy bucked the trend, with inflation rising slightly (from 1.1 percent to 1.2 percent). 

Eurostat will publish the final data on 19 January, clarifying the real inflation trend in the euro area.