Inflation & Prices
Surprise Jumps in French, Spanish Inflation Heap Pressure on ECB
- French consumer prices rose 7.2% in February, Spanish 6.1%
- Numbers are part of raft of European inflation data this week
Food costs are a particular concern and may be further stoked after annual negotiations between suppliers and distributors.
Photographer: Cyril Marcilhacy/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Investors boosted bets on the peak for European Central Bank interest rates to 4% for the first time after inflation in France and Spain came in unexpectedly hot.
Consumer prices in France jumped by a euro-era record 7.2% from a year ago in February as food and services costs increased. Spain saw a 6.1% advance. Analysts had estimated price gains would remain unchanged at 7% in France and slow in Spain.