02/10/23 (Agence Europe) – The annual inflation rate in the euro area is estimated at 4.3% in September 2023, compared with 5.2% in August, according to an estimate published by the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) on Friday 29 September. It was negative in the Netherlands (-0.3%), very weak in Belgium (0.7%) and close to the ECB’s medium-term target in Greece (2.4%). The highest rates were observed in Slovakia (8.9%), Croatia (7.3%) and Slovenia (7.1%). Inflation rates were estimated at 3.2% in Spain, 4.3% in Germany, 5.6% in France and 5.7% in Italy. Looking at the main components of inflation, food, alcohol and tobacco is expected to have the highest annual rate (8.8%), followed by services (4.7%), non-energy industrial goods (4.2%) and energy (-4.7%). According to Eurostat, the unemployment rate in the euro area was 6.4% in August. (MB)