Eurozone Inflation Slows To 2.4%

(RTTNews) - Eurozone inflation softened in March, flash estimate from Eurostat showed on Wednesday.

The harmonized index of consumer prices registered an increase of 2.4 percent annually, slower than the 2.6 percent rise in February. Prices were forecast to climb 2.5 percent. Likewise, core inflation eased to 2.9 percent in March from 3.1 percent in the previous month.

Among main components, services logged the highest annual rate in March, which grew 4.0 percent. Food, alcohol and tobacco prices gained 2.7 percent and non-energy industrial goods prices moved up 1.1 percent. Meanwhile, energy prices dropped 1.8 percent.

On a monthly basis, the HICP moved up 0.8 percent in March.