Luxembourg - QNA
Eurozone inflation jumped to 0.4 per cent in September - its highest rate in almost two years - according to an estimate published Friday by the EU statistics agency Eurostat.
The figure, which was in line with analysts' expectations, is still significantly below the European Central Bank's annual inflation target of just below 2 per cent.
Eurozone inflation had hovered around the 0-per-cent mark for much of the year, as fears of deflation dogged the 19-country currency area.
European officials have argued, however, that external factors such as oil prices have kept rates low, rather than across-the-board drops in price levels.
The fall in energy prices slowed to 3 per cent in September, compared to 5.6 per cent the previous month. At the same time, prices rose for services; food, alcohol and tobacco products; and non-energy industrial goods.
Source : QNA