Euro area annual inflation is expected to be 2.4% in March 2024, down from 2.6% in February according to a flash estimate from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
Looking at the main components of euro area inflation, services is expected to have the highest annual rate in March (4.0%, stable compared with February), followed by food, alcohol & tobacco (2.7%, compared with 3.9% in February), non-energy industrial goods (1.1%, compared with 1.6% in February) and energy (-1.8%, compared with -3.7% in February).
Notes for users
Revisions and timetable
The euro area inflation flash estimate is issued at the end of each reference month.
The complete set of harmonised indices of consumer prices (HICP) for the euro area, EU and Member States is released around the middle of the month following the reference month.
The next release with full data for March 2024 is scheduled for 17 April 2024.
Methods and definitions
Annual inflation is the change of the price level of consumer goods and services between the current month and the same month of the previous year. Monthly inflation is the change of the price level between the current month and the previous month.
Geographical information
The euro area consists of Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland.
The euro area data refer to the country composition at a specific point in time. Changes in the composition of the euro area are incorporated using a chain index formula.
https%3A%2F%2Fec.europa.eu%2Feurostat%2Fproduct%3Fcode%3D2-03042024-ap
