French prices slip as German prices are flat
FRANCE experienced mild deflation in September, according to data out yesterday, while prices were completely flat in Germany, and edged up in Spain.
Consumer prices sagged 0.3 per cent in France last month, data from official statistics body INSEE revealed, but even after this fall they were 1.9 per cent higher than September last year. This fall came after a 0.7 per cent rise into August, and the fall came mainly from seasonal variations – adjusting for these, prices were exactly the same as they were in August.
German consumer prices were flat, official statistics from Destatis showed, putting prices two per cent higher than in September 2011. Clothing at footwear grew 4.9 per cent in just a month, but this expansion was outweighed by falls in recreation and culture, communication and food.
Crisis-hit Spain saw prices grow more rapidly. The index was up one per cent on the month, Ines said, capping off 3.4 per cent yearly rise.