Eurostat – the Statistics Office of the European Community – has announced its “rapid estimate” for January 2007, according to which inflation on an annual basis referred to the countries of the Eurozone stands at 1.9%, unvaried over the official percentage rate registered in December 2006. The rapid estimate of inflation is calculated on the basis of the index of consumer prices of the Monetary Union (IPCUM), preliminary information on almost all the goods that compose the basket of commodities in each member state and forecasts on energy prices. The publication of detailed data on the EU-25 and on the individual member states is expected on 28 February.
