{
  "id": 18108147,
  "title": "Eurozone inflation hits 4%: Which countries saw prices jump the most?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/04/eurozone-inflation-hits-4-which-countries-saw-prices-jump-the-most",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-11-04T10:55:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euronews",
    "slug": "euronews",
    "url": "https://www.euronews.com/2026/11/04/eurozone-inflation-hits-4-which-countries-saw-prices-jump-the-most"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Eurozone inflation climbed to 4% in October, marking the highest level in over three years, largely driven by soaring energy costs. The flash estimate from Eurostat showed annual inflation climbing from 3.8% in September to 4%, matching the expectations of economists. Prices rose by 0.4% in October compared to the previous month. This is the highest reading since September 2023, when inflation was at 4.3%. Inflation now stands at twice the European Central Bank's 2% target.\n\nCore inflation, which excludes volatile items like energy, food, alcohol, and tobacco, remained steady at 2.5%. The gap between the core and headline figures highlights the impact of energy prices on the overall inflation rate. Energy costs surged by 20.8% compared to a year ago, adding roughly 1.9 percentage points to the 4% headline figure.\n\nItaly experienced the most significant increase in inflation, reaching 5.6%, up from 4.2% in September. This surge was driven largely by regulated energy tariffs. Other countries where inflation rose notably included Belgium (5.2%), Finland (3.4%), Greece and Estonia (both 5.6%), France (3.8%), and Bulgaria (6%).\n\nIn contrast, Germany saw a drop in inflation, falling to 2.8% from 3.3%, primarily due to a recent fuel tax cut. The eurozone's inflation rate accelerated in 13 out of 21 member countries, while six countries saw a decrease, and two remained unchanged. Malta had the lowest inflation rate at 2.3%, with Germany at 2.8% and Slovakia at 2.9%.\n\nOnly six countries had inflation rates of 5% or more, with Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and Belgium tied at 5.6%. The lowest inflation rate was recorded in Malta at 2.3%, followed by Germany and Slovakia.\n\nGermany's inflation rate decreased due to a fuel tax reduction that took effect on October 1st and is set to last until the end of the year. Despite this, the European Central Bank (ECB) decided to maintain its deposit facility rate at 2.5%. The ECB's decision to hold the rate steady comes as economists predict an increase in December, with some even expecting multiple hikes in the coming quarters.",
  "summary": "Eurozone inflation rose to 4% in October, a three-year high, as energy costs surged. Italy saw the biggest jump, while Germany bucked the trend.",
  "key_points": [
    "Eurozone inflation reached 4% in October, highest since September 2023.",
    "Italy's inflation surged to 5.6%, driven by energy tariffs.",
    "Germany's inflation dropped to 2.8% due to fuel tax reduction."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Soaring energy costs are decoupling headline inflation from core stability, forcing the European Central Bank to weigh potential interest rate hikes against uneven price pressures across member states.",
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/18108147.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "FXStreet",
        "title": "Euro holds gains against Canadian Dollar ahead of Eurozone HICP inflation data",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/04/euro-holds-gains-against-canadian-dollar-ahead-of-eurozone-hicp",
        "published": "2026-11-04T09:17:26.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Seeking Alpha News",
        "title": "Eurozone October inflation speeds up to 4% on energy price surge",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/04/eurozone-october-inflation-speeds-up-to-4-on-energy-price-surge",
        "published": "2026-11-04T10:56:15.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}