BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Eurozone inflation accelerated for the third straight month in January, preliminary data from Eurostat showed Friday.
Inflation rose to 1.4 percent from 1.3 percent in December. The rate came in line with expectations.
Nonetheless, headline inflation remained well below the European Central Bank's target of 'below, but close to 2 percent.'
The annual growth was driven by a 2.2 percent rise in food, alcohol and tobacco prices and a 1.8 percent increase in energy prices. Cost of non-energy industrial goods gained 0.5 percent and that of services advanced 1.5 percent.
Meanwhile, core inflation that excludes energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, eased more-than-expected to 1.1 percent in January from 1.3 percent a month ago. The expected rate was 1.2 percent.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices were down 1 percent in January.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2020 AFX News
