Euro-zone annual inflation up to 1.9% and EU15 up to 1.8%

Euro-zone annual inflation rose from 1.8% in June to 1.9% in July1 2002, Eurostat – the Statistical Office of the European Communities in Luxembourg – reports today. A year earlier the rate was 2.6%.

EU15 annual inflation rose from 1.6% in June to 1.8% in July 2002. A year earlier the rate was 2.5%. EEA annual inflation was 1.8% in July 2002.

Inflation in Member States
In July, highest annual rates were in Ireland (4.2%), the Netherlands (3.8%), Greece and Portugal (both 3.6%); lowest rates were in Germany (1.0%), Belgium and the United Kingdom (both 1.1%).

Compared with June 2002, annual inflation fell in two Member States, rose in nine and remained stable in four. Compared with July 2001, the biggest relative falls were in Germany (2.6% to 1.0%), Belgium (2.7% to 1.1%) and Austria (2.8% to 1.5%) and the only relative rises were in Spain (2.4% to 3.5%) and Ireland (4.0% to 4.2%).

Lowest 12-month averages2 up to July 2002 were in the United Kingdom (1.2%), Germany and Luxembourg (both 1.7% ); highest were in the Netherlands (4.6%), Ireland (4.4%) and Greece (3.8%).

USA and Switzerland
Annual inflation fell from 0.3% to -0.1% in Switzerland. Annual inflation increased from 1.1% to 1.5% in the USA. These indices are not strictly comparable with EU harmonized indices.

(source: Eurostat)

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