Brussels: Annual consumer inflation in the euro area accelerated to 3.2% in August, below the preliminary estimate of 3.3%, according to final data released Wednesday. The rate rose from 2.9% in July and 2% in August 2025, the EU statistical office Eurostat said. Consumer prices increased 0.4% on a monthly basis.

According to Anadolu Agency, energy prices climbed 14.3% year-on-year, accelerating from 10.3% in July, while non-energy industrial goods inflation rose to 1.2% from 0.9%. Services inflation eased to 3% from 3.3%, while inflation for food, alcohol and tobacco slowed to 1.1% from 1.2%. Core inflation, excluding energy, food, alcohol, and tobacco, edged down to 2.4% from 2.5%.

Services made the largest contribution to the euro area's annual inflation rate, adding 1.43 percentage points, followed by energy with 1.29 points, non-energy industrial goods with 0.30 points, and food, alcohol, and tobacco with 0.22 points. Across the EU, annual inflation rose to 3.2% in August from 3% in July. The rate was 2.4% a year earlier.

The lowest annual inflation rates among EU members were recorded in Sweden at 0.3%, Estonia at 1.3% and Czechia at 1.5%. The highest rates were registered in Romania at 6.3%, Lithuania at 5.6% and the Greek Cypriot Administration at 5.2%. Compared with July, annual inflation declined in six member states, remained unchanged in one and increased in 20.