Austrian Inflation Confirmed At 4.0%

(RTTNews) - Austria's consumer price inflation eased as initially estimated in September after accelerating to a 17-month high in August, the latest data from Statistics Austria showed on Friday.

The consumer price index climbed 4.0 percent year-over-year in September, slightly slower than the 4.1 percent increase in August, which was the highest inflation rate since March 2024. That was in line with the flash data published on October 1.

Nonetheless, the inflation rate is well above the European Central Bank's stability target of 2.0 percent.

Food prices rose less sharply than recently, while for the first time since July 2024, fuel prices no longer had a dampening effect on inflation, Manuela Lenk, Director General of Statistics at Statistics Austria, said.

Inflation based on food and non-alcoholic beverages eased to 3.9 percent from 5.2 percent, and that on housing and utilities slowed marginally to 6.0 percent from 6.1 percent. Meanwhile, transport charges grew at a faster pace of 2.5 percent versus 1.2 percent a month ago.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices dropped 0.2 percent, as estimated.

The EU measure of the harmonized index of consumer prices, or HICP, also rose at a slower rate of 3.9 percent versus a 4.1 percent increase in August.