EURO AREA | Euro Area June Inflation Eases Slightly, ECB Retains More Policy Flexibility

Euro area inflation eased slightly in June and matched the preliminary reading. According to Jin10, overall monthly inflation was -0.1%, driven mainly by a 1.8% decline in energy price inflation. Energy prices slowed further and kept headline year-over-year inflation on a downward path, with energy inflation falling from 10.8% in May to 8.5% in June. Food price inflation also eased, dropping from 1.9% in May to 1.5% in June, while services inflation declined from 3.5% to 3.2%. Overall, the data pushed core inflation lower. The article said the June inflation picture did not deteriorate, giving the European Central Bank more policy flexibility over the summer and more time to wait before deciding its next monetary policy move. It added that renewed tension in the Middle East could trigger another round of gains in oil and gas prices, lifting summer price pressures and increasing the risk of a potential second-round effect later on.