Eurozone inflation dips in line with forecasts
Eurozone inflation dipped in line with expectations in December as declines in countries such as Greece and Ireland offset rising prices in Poland and Hungary, official figures showed.
Inflation in the single-currency area dipped 0.3% for the fourth month running compared with a 1.3% rise a year earlier, Eurostat said. Inflation in the European Union rose 0.3%, up from 0.2% in November.
Prices fell fastest in Greece, where inflation was -2.4%, Slovenia and Ireland. Prices rose 3.4% in Poland and also made strong gains in Hungary and the Czech Republic.
Annual inflation dropped in nine states, was stable in eight and rose in 10. Prices of services and food, alcohol and tobacco rose while energy and industrial goods prices fell.