Euro area annual inflation climbed to 3.3 per cent in August
Euro area inflation rose to 3.3 per cent in August from 2.9 per cent in July, in the Eurostat flash of 1 September 2026. Energy peaked at 14.3 per cent after 10.3 per cent in July. Prices rose 0.4 per cent. Services eased to 3.0 per cent. Core inflation fell to 2.4 per cent from 2.5 per cent, with Lithuania at 5.8 per cent and Estonia at 1.3 per cent, Euronews said. Eurostat named Cyprus at 5.2 per cent.
Economics & Markets··Evening
The annual rate rose to 3.3 per cent, energy to 14.3 per cent
Euro area annual inflation rose to 3.3 per cent in August from 2.9 per cent in July, according to the flash estimate Eurostat published on 1 September 2026. Energy showed the highest annual rate at 14.3 per cent, up from 10.3 per cent in July. Euronews reported the same flash, with energy prices up 14.3 per cent in the year to August after 10.3 per cent in July. Prices increased 0.4 per cent on the month. Euronews added that energy prices increased 2.9 per cent between July and August.[1], [2]
Services eased to 3.0 per cent, food stayed at 1.2 per cent
The annual rate for services eased to 3.0 per cent from 3.3 per cent in the Eurostat figures, and Euronews reported the same move from 3.3 per cent to 3.0 per cent. Non-energy industrial goods rose to 1.2 per cent from 0.9 per cent in the Eurostat breakdown. Food, alcohol and tobacco stayed at 1.2 per cent, its July level. Euronews said those prices rose 1.2 per cent, unchanged from July. Core inflation, excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, edged down from 2.5 per cent to 2.4 per cent in the Euronews account.[1], [2]
Lithuania at 5.8 per cent, Cyprus at 5.2 per cent, Estonia at 1.3 per cent
The highest country rates in the Eurostat flash were 5.8 per cent in Lithuania and 5.2 per cent in Cyprus. Euronews, covering the same estimate, put Lithuania highest at 5.8 per cent and Estonia lowest at 1.3 per cent. Among the largest economies it recorded France at 2.7 per cent, Germany at 2.9 per cent, Spain at 4.5 per cent and Italy at 3.2 per cent. Euronews carried commentary from Oxford Economics that tied the energy jump to fuel prices around Hormuz and treated an ECB rate increase on 10 September as likely.[1], [2]
