Prices in the Eurozone continued to fall in March – Jornal de Negócios – Portugal

prices Eurozone remained in March in negative territory. Eurostat, in its first estimate for March points to a negative inflation rate of 0.1% in March, still above the -0.2% February.

Energy remains the component to pull the prices down and bring inflation to negative territory, and putting it away from the European Central Bank’s objectives to take close to 2%. Think about that, too, the ECB has already strengthened the economic stimulus in March

It was the month in which the ECB announced a strengthening of stimuli -. But that only takes effect in April – that inflation, although remaining in negative territory in the eurozone, rose slightly. In February, prices had fallen 0.2% and in March have fallen, according to Eurostat’s first estimate, 0.1%. In February, the inflation rate was negative after January have been positive but a low level of 0.3%. The figures were in line with the estimates of economists contacted by Bloomberg.

For components, prices in the services will have risen 1.3% in March compared to a rise of 0.9% in February. Have the power component, alcohol and tobacco increased by 0.7% more than the 0.6% February and non-energy industrial goods increased 0.5% compared to 0.7% in February.

the energy was then the component that dragged the inflation rate to negative territory. The prices in this component fell 8.7% compared to 8.1% which came down in February.

This means that inflation “core” (excluding volatile items such as energy and food) was 1% , up from 0.8% in February.

This is Eurostat’s first estimate for the evolution of prices in March, is expected to release the final figures for April 14.

The European Central Bank announced in March a reinforcing stimulus to the economy. From April, purchases of assets by the institution led by Mario Draghi will rise to 60 billion euros to 80 billion euros monthly.

On Wednesday, March 30, the European Commission revealed the confidence indicators in the euro zone, showing a decline for the third consecutive month. In March, economic sentiment in Eurozone fell for the third month by 0.9 points compared to February to 103 points, the lowest level since February last year. In January this year this indicator was 105 points.

The deterioration of sentiment the euro zone due to low consumer confidence, but also the managers of the services and the construction sector, according to data from the European Commission. In industry, the confidence remains virtually unchanged. In the five largest economies, the lowest trust levels were recorded in Italy, France and the Netherlands, followed by Spain. In Germany, the feeling is stagnant.

(News updated with more information at 10:30)