According to the final data of the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat), consumer prices in the eurozone in April rose by 0.3% in annual terms, at the lowest rates in almost four years. A preliminary estimate was 0.4%. On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose in April by 0.3%. In March, inflation was 0.7%. The inflation target set by the European Central Bank is «just under 2%.» Core inflation (excluding volatile energy, food and alcohol prices) slowed from 1% to 0.9% in annual terms. The cost of energy itself fell by 9.7% in annual terms after a March decline of 4.5%. Food, alcohol and tobacco rose by 3.6% after rising 2.4% a month earlier. Annual inflation in all EU countries slowed to 0.7% from 1.2% a month earlier.
