Eurozone September Inflation Rises to 3.8%, Exceeding Expectations on Surging Energy Prices

Eurozone preliminary headline inflation rose to 3.8% year-on-year in September, topping market expectations of 3.6% and up from 3.2% in August. The consumer price index climbed to 104.30 points from 103.69 in August, largely fueled by an 18.8% surge in energy prices. Services inflation advanced to 3.2%, while food, alcohol, and tobacco prices rose to 1.4%. Core inflation matched consensus forecasts at 2.5%, edging up from 2.4%. Harmonised inflation reached 3.3% in Germany, 3.4% in France, 4.1% in Italy, and 5.0% in Spain, reinforcing pressure on the European Central Bank.