Berlin:Germany's consumer price inflation eased markedlyin March to the lowest level in seven months, as initially estimatedamid a sharp slowdown in energy costs, official data showed Thursday.
The consumer price index climbed 7.4per cent year-over-year in March, slowerthan the 8.7per cent rise in February, final data from Destatis revealed.Thelatest inflation rate was in line with flash data published on March30.
Energy product prices were only 3.5per cent more expensive compared to lastyear versus a 19.1per cent growth in February. A 16.1per cent plunge in fuel priceshad a large impact on easing energy prices.
At the same time, food prices grew at a faster pace of 22.3per cent annuallyin March, largely driven by higher prices for dairy products andeggs.
Data showed that the prices of goods as a whole increased by 9.8per cent,and those for services rose by 4.8per cent.
Inflation based on the harmonized index of consumer prices, or HICP,eased to 7.8per cent from 9.3per cent in the previous month, as estimated.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices gained 0.8per cent, and the HICP movedup 1.1per cent. There was no change in figures compared with the previousestimate._DPA
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