According to flash estimates published by the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat), the inflation rate in the euro area remained stable in December 2012 compared to the previous month's data. According to these data, in the last month of the year inflation remained at 2.2%.

The first estimate published by the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) regarding the inflation rate registered in the euro area on the last month of the year also reflects a decrease compared to the same period in last year. In December 2011, further to an estimated inflation rate of 2.8%, the final data for the euro zone inflation stood at 2.7%, 0.5% over the 2.2% estimated inflation rate for December 2012.

According to these interim data, the energy sector is expected to register the highest inflation rate. Despite a decrease in relation to the previous month, the rate for the energy sector will reach 5.2% in December 2012. Food, alcohol and tobacco are expected to register a 0.1% increase reaching a 3.1% inflation rate. According to these same data, services would register a 0.2% increase between November and December attaining a 1.8% rate, while for non-energy industrial goods, the rate would remain stable at 1.1%.

These estimates which allow to provide an estimate value of the annual inflation rate ate calculated by Eurostat based on a combination of historical data and flash estimates from the Member states where data are available. Definitive data for December 2012 are expected to be published by january 16th 2013.