BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Eurozone inflation accelerated to the highest since early 2025 as energy prices surged amid the war in Iran, official data showed Tuesday.
Inflation rose to 2.5 percent in March from 1.9 percent in February, flash estimate from Eurostat revealed. A similar higher rate was last seen in January 2025.
Inflation exceeded the European Central Bank's 2 percent target but was slightly below economists' forecast of 2.6 percent.
Meanwhile, core inflation that excludes prices of energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, eased to 2.3 percent in March from 2.4 percent in February. Core inflation was expected to remain unchanged at 2.4 percent.
Month-on-month, the harmonized index of consumer prices climbed 1.2 percent. Final data is scheduled to be released on April 16.
ING economist Bert Colijn said the increase in inflation was primarily due to higher energy prices but cautioned that 'the longer the shock lasts, the higher the risk of second-round effects causing broader elevated inflation.'
Among main components of HICP, energy posted the biggest annual rate in March, up 4.9 percent, followed by services, which climbed 3.2 percent.
Food, alcohol and tobacco prices rose at a slightly slower rate of 2.4 percent and non-energy industrial goods prices moved up 0.5 percent.
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