Brussels, 16/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - In September 2008, annual inflation in the eurozone was 3.6%, compared with 3.8% in August and 2.1% in September 2007. Monthly inflation was 0.2% in September 2008 in the eurozone. In the EU27, annual inflation was 4.2% in September 2008, compared with 4.3% in August and 2.2% in September 2007. Monthly inflation was 0.3% in the EU27 in September 2008. The figures published by Eurostat on Wednesday 15 October 2008 confirm the impact of falling energy prices.
The lowest annual inflation was recorded in the Netherlands (2.8%), Germany (3.0%), Ireland and Portugal (both 3.2%). The highest annual inflation was recorded in Latvia (14.7%), Bulgaria (11.4%) and Lithuania (11.3%). Compared with August 2008, annual inflation fell in 17 member states, did not change in 2, and increased in 8. Average inflation over 12 months until September 2008 was lowest in the Netherlands (2.1%), Portugal (2.9%) and Germany (3.1%), and highest in Latvia (15.8%), Bulgaria (12.6%), Estonia and Lithuania (both 10.8%).
The highest annual inflation in September 2008 was recorded in housing (6.2%), transport (5.8%) and food (5.7%), and the lowest in communications (-2.6%), leisure and culture (0.1%) and clothing (0.7%). This differs from monthly inflation, where the highest price rises were recorded in clothing (6.5%), teaching (0.8%) and household goods (0.5%), and the lowest in leisure and culture (-1.1%), hotels and catering (-1.1%) and transport (-0.6%). (A.B./trans.fl)