Key facts
- Inflation rose in four German states in July, indicating a potential national increase.
- Bavaria's inflation rate accelerated to 2.8% in July.
- North Rhine-Westphalia's inflation rate increased to 2.7% in July.
- Economists predict Germany's harmonised national inflation rate will be 2.8% in July.
- Euro zone inflation is expected to reach 2.9% in July.
Inflation rose in four key German states in July, according to preliminary data, suggesting the national inflation rate could also increase this month. In Bavaria, the inflation rate accelerated to 2.8% in July from 2.5% in June. In North Rhine-Westphalia, it rose to 2.7% from 2.1%, while in Baden-Wuerttemberg, it rose to 2.5% from 2.1%. In Lower Saxony, it ticked up to 2.7% from 2.5%.
The German data come ahead of the euro zone inflation release on Friday. Inflation in the bloc is expected to come in at 2.9% in July, slightly above 2.8% in the previous month, according to economists polled by Reuters.
The European Central Bank kept borrowing costs on hold in July but left room for more tightening in the coming months as a widening conflict in the Middle East pushed up energy prices again.