BERLIN (Reuters) – Preliminary data on consumer price developments in August from six federal states point to an acceleration in inflation in Germany.
In North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous Land in the country and which often reflects the national trend, the consumer price index rose 5.9% year on year, against 5.8% in July, according to data released Wednesday.
The inflation rate in Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg and Saxony also accelerated, rising by up to 0.4 percentage points.
In Bavaria and Hesse, however, inflation fell slightly, to 5.9% and 6.0% respectively.
Preliminary nationwide inflation figures are due at 12:00 GMT and economists polled by Reuters predicted – before the release of regional figures – a slowdown to 6.3% year on year from 6.5% in July.
Bastian Hepperle, economist at Hauck Aufhaeuser Lampe Privatbank, nevertheless said he still expects inflation to slow in Germany despite the latest mixed data.
“The sharp drop in producer and import prices gives rise to optimism that inflationary pressures will continue to ease in the months ahead,” he said.
(Report Rachel More and René Wagner; French version Claude Chendjou, edited by Kate Entringer)
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