Energy costs spark inflation surges in France, Italy - Free Malaysia Today

The annual rate hit 3% in France, the highest since February 2024, and a sharp increase from 2.4% in August, the statistics office Insee said. In Italy inflation jumped to 4.2%, nearly a full percentage point above the 3.3% recorded in August, the Istat agency reported. The price hikes are well above the European Central Bank’s inflation target of 2%, raising the likelihood it will raise interest rates further. Diesel prices in particular have hit record highs in France, Italy, Germany and several other eurozone countries in recent weeks, a result of the Middle East war that has slowed shipments of both crude oil and refined fuels from the Gulf.