Will interest rates be lowered?

Inflation in the eurozone falls slightly to 2.4 percent

Inflation in the eurozone is expected to reach 2.4 percent in February. This was announced by Eurostat on Monday. Inflation in Austria was put at 3.5 percent. This is above the average value for the eurozone.

Statistics Austria, on the other hand, estimates 3.3 percent. Eurostat estimates the lowest annual rates for France (0.9 percent), Ireland (1.3 percent) and Finland (1.5 percent). By contrast, Estonia (five percent), Croatia (4.7 percent) and Belgium (4.4 percent) have the highest inflation rates. Germany's rate is likely to remain the same as in January at 2.8 percent.

Services and food drive inflation
Services, food, alcohol and tobacco as well as industrial goods excluding energy are likely to be the main drivers of inflation in the eurozone in February. At 0.2%, energy prices rose less sharply than in January.

Eurostat assumes that the European Central Bank (ECB) will use the slightly lower inflation rate as an argument to lower the interest rate. At 2.4 percent, the target of a rate below two percent is once again closer than recently. The deposit rate is important for banks and savers. The ECB's decision is expected on Thursday.