Prices of services, food, alcohol and tobacco rise in the European Union

(Patria) - Annual inflation in the eurozone stood at 2.4 percent in April, the same as in March, according to data from the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat).

In the EU, inflation was 2.6 percent, also at the same level as in March. A year earlier, the annual inflation rate was 8.1 percent.

The lowest inflation in the EU was recorded in Lithuania at 0.4 percent, Denmark at 0.5 percent, and Finland at 0.6 percent. The highest inflation was recorded in Romania at 6.2 percent, Belgium at 4.9 percent, and Croatia at 4.7 percent.

The largest contribution to the overall price increase came from services with 1.64 percentage points, and food, alcohol, and tobacco with 0.55 percentage points.

Industrial products contributed 0.23 percentage points to inflation, while energy continued to become cheaper (negative contribution of 0.04 points).

Excluding energy prices, year-on-year inflation stood at 2.7 percent, and when unprocessed food prices are also excluded, it stood at 2.8 percent.

Core inflation, when energy, food, tobacco, and alcohol prices are excluded from total prices, stood at 2.3 percent in the EU in April.

Service prices rose by 3.7 percent year-on-year in April.