MADRID
Consumer prices in Spain fell in March as prices for food and nonalcoholic beverages and organized travel declined, official data showed
In its preliminary estimate for March, the National Statistics Institute, known as INE, said Spain's European Union-harmonized consumer-price index dropped 0.2% compared with the same month last year, down from February's increase of 0.1% on the year
According to Spain's own measure, prices fell 0.2% on the year in March and stayed flat in February
While the Spanish economy has exited a nine-quarter recession in the second half of last year, consumer prices remain under downward pressure because of high unemployment and weak demand for goods among households and businesses
Other countries in the euro zone are seeing similar trends
Consumer prices had fallen just below zero last October, but rose slowly in the following months
The European Central Bank aims to keep the annual inflation rate in the euro zone below but close to 2% over the medium term
However, inflation dipped below 1% in recent months in the currency bloc and economists expect annual inflation to remain well below target this year
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By Tom Fairless
BRUSSELS--Belgian inflation fell in March to its lowest level since November, as energy prices continued their year-on-year decline, the country's economy ministry said Friday.
Consumer prices were up 0.89% on the year in March, compared with 0.97% the previous month and 1.14% in January.
Last October's reading, at 0.63%, was the lowest since January 2010.
This month's inflation was driven by higher prices for foreign travel and fruit. By contrast, vegetables and flowers got cheaper, the ministry said.
By William Horobin
PARIS--French producer prices dropped in February for the second month in a row as energy prices continued to fall, statistics bureau Insee said Friday.
France's Producer Price Index fell 0.1% in February from January, when it had already dropped 0.6%. The February PPI was 1.7% lower than February last year.
Weaker energy prices were the main reason for the overall decline in February, while prices for other inputs varied only slightly.
French consumer spending in February disappoints
By William Horobin
PARIS--French consumer spending in February rose only slightly, disappointing expectations, data showed Friday.
Consumer spending, the main driver of the French economy, rose 0.1% in February from January, statistics bureau Insee said. Economists had expected a strong 0.7% rebound after a weak performance in January.
Households continued to cut back on spending on food in February for the fourth consecutive month, Insee said. And spending on energy also declined, although not as sharply as in January.
Overall, French consumer spending in February was 0.3% below the level recorded the same month last year.
EUR Cuenta Corriente de España -3,60B 2,10B
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