{
  "id": 14172896,
  "title": "Erstmals seit Ende 2023: Teurer Sprit treibt Inflationsrate über Drei-Prozent-Marke",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/erstmals-seit-ende-2023-teurer-sprit-treibt-inflationsrate-uber-drei",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-13T10:04:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/erstmals-seit-ende-2023-teurer-sprit-treibt-inflationsrate-ueber-drei-prozent-marke/100261760.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "For the first time since late 2023, Germany's inflation rate surpassed the three percent mark, driven by soaring fuel and energy prices. September saw a 3.3% increase in the cost of goods and services compared to the same period a year prior, according to the Federal Statistical Office's preliminary data. This marks the highest inflation rate since December 2023, when it stood at 3.7%. Ruth Brand, president of the Federal Statistical Office, noted that the September inflation rate marked a new annual high, with particular price hikes observed in mineral oil products at gas stations and heating oil. In September, consumers in Germany paid 14.9% more for fuel and household energy compared to a year ago, marking the third consecutive month of heightened energy inflation since February 2023. Fuel prices surged by nearly 37% year-over-year, while cheap heating oil skyrocketed by nearly 75%. Solid fuels, wood pellets, and other solid fuels also saw a notable rise of 15.6% compared to the previous year. In contrast, electricity prices fell by 5.5%, natural gas without operation costs decreased by 2.8%, and district heating dropped by 1.0%. Consumer prices grew by 0.6% from August to September of this year, with the increase in oil prices since the outbreak of the Iran war being the main driver of inflation in Germany. As oil prices surged due to the blockade of the Hormuz Strait, a crucial oil and gas shipping lane, prices surpassed $100 per barrel in June. Meanwhile, food prices only rose minimally by 0.4% in September, with eggs increasing by 15.2% and fresh vegetables by 12%. In contrast, cooking fats and oils fell by 15%, including butter, which dropped by 29.5%, and fresh fruit by 4.9%. Services, including package tours, hairdressing, and car repairs, rose by 2.7%, slightly below the average. Heating costs rose by 1.9% in September, relatively moderate compared to the overall inflation. Inflation expert Silke Tober from the Institute for Macroeconomic and Economic Research (IMK) of the Hans-Böckler Foundation said the September inflation increase was almost entirely due to higher fuel and heating oil prices since the start of the Iran war. Without volatile food and energy prices, the inflation rate would have been 2.4% in August, according to Tober. Greenpeace called for Germany to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, noting that if oil prices had remained constant since January, Germany's inflation in August would have been 1.9% instead of 2.9%. The organization's analysis suggests that Germany's inflation would have been 1.5% higher from January to August if oil prices had remained stable. The government's tank rebate, which reduced fuel taxes by around 17 cents per liter from October 1 until the end of the year, could potentially dampen the inflation rate by about 0.2 percentage points. Economists expect Germany to experience its sixth consecutive year of inflation above the two percent mark in 2026, with other major Eurozone countries like France and Spain also experiencing rising prices. Consequently, the European Central Bank is expected to raise interest rates for the third time this year, surpassing its medium-term target of 2.0%. In September, inflation in the Eurozone reached 3.8%, the highest level in three years, well above the ECB's target.",
  "summary": "Das Leben in Deutschland hat sich im September so stark verteuert wie seit fast drei Jahren nicht. Grund sie die hohen Energiepreise. Experten erwarten eine weiter hohe Inflation - trotz Tankrabatt.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}