Inflation & Prices
Euro-Area Core Inflation Hits Record, Backing Case for ECB Hikes
- Consumer prices rise 6.9% on year, core inflation at 5.7%
- ECB rate-setters have zeroed in on underlying price trends
Customers shop for groceries inside a grocery store in Paris.
Photographer: Cyril Marcilhacy/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Underlying inflation in the euro area hit a record in March, handing ammunition to European Central Bank officials who say interest-rate increases aren’t over yet.
The rise to 5.7% in the core price reading, which strips out volatile items like fuel and food costs, came alongside a record plunge in headline inflation to 6.9% from 8.5% in February.