Eurozone Inflation Surges in March on Energy Shock

2026-03-31 09:12 By Joana Ferreira 1 min. read

Euro area annual inflation climbed to 2.5% in March 2026, up from 1.9% in February and slightly below market expectations of 2.6%, according to a preliminary estimate.

This marked the highest rate since January 2025, pushing inflation above the ECB’s 2% target as energy costs soared 4.9%, the first annual increase in nearly a year and the sharpest since February 2023, driven by the Middle East conflict.

Meanwhile, price pressures eased in other sectors: services inflation slowed to 3.2% (from 3.4%), non-energy industrial goods fell to 0.5% (from 0.7%), and food, alcohol, and tobacco dipped to 2.4% (from 2.5%).

The core rate, excluding volatile energy, also cooled to 2.3% from 2.4%.

Among the Eurozone’s largest economies, inflation accelerated sharply in Germany (2.8% vs. 2.0%), France (1.9% vs. 1.1%), Spain (3.3% vs. 2.5%), and the Netherlands (2.6% vs. 2.3%), while Italy's rate remained stable at 1.5%.



News Stream
Eurozone Inflation Remains Elevated as Energy Costs Soar
Eurozone annual inflation accelerated to 3.2% in August 2026, matching May’s two-and-a-half-year high but coming in slightly below the preliminary estimate of 3.3%. The rate remained well above the ECB’s 2% target, driven largely by a surge in energy prices amid continued fighting in the Middle East. Energy inflation jumped to 14.3%, its highest since January 2023, while inflation for unprocessed food and non-energy industrial goods also accelerated. Services inflation, however, eased to a four-month low of 3.0%, while core inflation, excluding energy and food, edged down to 2.4% from 2.5%. Among the euro area’s largest economies, inflation accelerated in Germany to 2.9% from 2.8%, France to 2.6% from 2.4%, Spain to 4.6% from 3.9%, and Italy to 3.2% from 2.9%. The Netherlands was an exception, with inflation easing to 2.8% from 3.0%.
2026-09-17
Eurozone Inflation Hits Highest Since 2023
Eurozone annual inflation accelerated to 3.3% in August 2026 from 2.9% in July, in line with market expectations, according to preliminary estimates. The rate reached its highest level since September 2023 and remained well above the ECB’s 2% target, driven largely by a surge in energy prices amid continued fighting in the Middle East. The data strengthened expectations for an ECB rate hike as soon as this month, with markets fully pricing a 25-basis-point increase to 2.5%. Energy inflation jumped to 14.3%, its highest since January 2023, while unprocessed food and non-energy industrial goods inflation also accelerated. Services inflation, however, eased to a four-month low of 3.0%, while core inflation, excluding energy and food, edged down to 2.4%, below forecasts of 2.5%. Among the euro area’s largest economies, inflation accelerated in Germany to 2.9% from 2.8%, France to 2.7% from 2.4%, Spain to 4.5% from 3.9%, and Italy to 3.2% from 2.9%.
2026-09-01
Eurozone Inflation Confirmed at 2.9% in July
Eurozone annual inflation accelerated to 2.9% in July 2026, in line with flash estimates, up from 2.8% in June and remaining well above the European Central Bank's 2.0% target, final data showed. The increase was largely driven by a renewed surge in energy prices, with energy inflation accelerating to 10.3% from 8.5% as hostilities between the US and Iran resumed. Underlying price pressures also strengthened. Services inflation edged up to 3.3% from 3.2%, while inflation for non-energy industrial goods rose to 0.9% from 0.7%. In contrast, food, alcohol, and tobacco inflation eased to 1.2% from 1.5%. The core inflation rate, which excludes energy and food, increased to 2.5% from 2.4%. Among the euro area's largest economies, inflation accelerated in Germany (2.8% vs 2.4%), France (2.4% vs 2.0%), Spain (3.9% vs 3.6%), and the Netherlands (3% vs 2.5%), while easing slightly in Italy (2.9% vs 3.0%).
2026-08-19