German Inflation Unexpectedly Quickens Beyond ECB’s 2% Goal

German inflation quickened more than anticipated to surpass 2%, capping a mixed round of price data from the region’s top economies that’s unlikely to persuade the European Central Bank to change interest rates next month.

August’s reading came in at 2.1% — up from 1.8% in July, the statistics agency said Friday, citing rising food costs and a smaller drop in energy prices. That’s above the median forecast in a Bloomberg poll of economists, which predicted an uptick to 2%.