From 2.4% for January 2006 to 2.3% for February 2006: that’s the very slight variation registered for inflation in the Eurozone according to the Eurostat data published this week: in February last year inflation stood at 2.1%. On the other hand, the figure for the EU-25 remains unvaried; it has remained firm at 2.2% for three consecutive months, whereas it stood at 2.1% twelve months ago. The most virtuous countries in terms of inflation were Poland (0.9%), Sweden (1.1%), the Netherlands (1.4%) and Austria (1.5%). Still very negative, on the contrary, are the inflation rates for Latvia (7.0%), Estonia (4.2%), Luxembourg (3.9%) and Spain (3.5%). A decisive contribution for the slight drop in inflation is due to the general drop in prices for communication, clothing (in particular shoes) and entertainment, sectors that were able to offset the substantial price rises for transport and heating fuels, hotel services and vegetables. l lnone
