2020.01.1507:28:00UTC+00France Inflation Exceeds Estimate In December

France consumer prices accelerated more than initially estimated in December to the highest level in a year, final data from the statistical office Insee showed Wednesday.

Consumer prices increased 1.5 percent year-on-year in December, faster than the 1 percent rise in November. This was bigger than the initial estimate of 1.4 percent and the fastest since December 2018, when prices advanced 1.6 percent.

This sharp rise was driven by a marked rebound in energy prices, the statistical office said. After falling for two months, energy prices advanced 2.6 percent. Food prices were up 2.1 percent, as in November.

Driven by energy and food costs, the monthly increase in consumer prices accelerated in December, to 0.4 percent from 0.1 percent in November. The monthly rate matched the flash estimate published on January 3.

EU harmonized inflation increased to 1.6 percent, as estimated, from 1.2 percent in November.

Likewise, month-on-month, the harmonized index of consumer prices advanced 0.5 percent after rising 0.1 percent a month ago. The monthly inflation also came in line with the preliminary estimate.

At the same time, core inflation rose marginally to 1.1 percent from 1 percent a month ago.