Brussels, 01/08/2006 (Agence Europe) - According to the first Eurostat estimates, inflation reached 2.5% in July 2006, unchanged compared to June. In July, the economic sentiment indicator for business and consumers continued to progress to reach its highest level since early 2001: rising by 0.6 points in both the eurozeone and in the EU25. The business climate indicator in the eurozone fell, however, after a strong rise the previous month, although it remained at a level that had not been reached since 2000. Despite the fall observed in July, this suggests that industrial production growth accelerated during the second half of 2006 and is expected to continue, the Commission stresses in a press release. The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) is to examine the situation at its meeting on 3 August, after which many observers expect a rise in interest rates in the eurozone (EUROPE 9227).