Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE ANNUAL RATE of inflation in the eurozone rose to 2.9 percent in December mainly due to energy costs, the EU’s statistics agency said today.
Consumer prices edged up from 2.4 percent in November 2023, in line with expectations by analysts for Bloomberg predicting inflation would increase to 2.9 percent.
The data supports comments by European Central Bank (ECB) chief Christine Lagarde, who has warned that Europe should remain on guard despite falling inflation.
The ECB has undertaken a series of interest rate hikes to tame red-hot inflation after consumer prices reached a peak of 10.6 percent in October 2022.
Talks of rate cuts ‘premature’
But as eurozone inflation edged closer to the ECB’s two-percent target, there have been growing calls to cut rates, which the bank’s officials have pushed hard against.
“December’s jump in headline inflation in the eurozone was widely anticipated and entirely due to a base-effects driven increase in energy inflation, so it won’t alter ECB policymakers’ views on the outlook for monetary policy,” said Jack Allen-Reynolds, deputy chief eurozone economist at Capital Economics.
The rise had been expected because of governments had provided exceptional support in December 2022 to households to confront heating bills that had surged due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Energy prices in the eurozone fell in December, by 6.7 percent on an annual measure, but that was less than the 11.5 percent drop in November, data published by the EU’s official statistics agency showed.
Food and drink price increases slowed down to 6.1 percent last month compared with 6.9 percent in November, according to Eurostat.
Core inflation, which strips out volatile energy, food, alcohol and tobacco prices, however slowed to 3.4 percent in December from 3.6 percent in November, Eurostat said.
Core inflation is the key signal for the ECB.
The ECB’s Lagarde has insisted that it is too early to declare victory over inflation and has previously dismissed any talk about interest rate cuts as “premature”.
The next rate decision meeting will be on January 25.
Allen-Reynolds of Capital Economics said he still suspected the ECB would start cutting rates “in or around April”.
Among the 20 countries that use the euro, Belgium and Italy had the lowest inflation rate, reaching 0.5 percent in December, Eurostat said.
Inflation also rose in the European Union’s two biggest economies.
In Germany, inflation increased to 3.8 percent in December from 2.3 percent the previous month. And in France, consumer prices ticked up to 4.1 percent in December from 3.9 percent in November, Eurostat said.
raz/del/rl
© Agence France-Presse
Additional reporting by Jane Matthews
Love the way it’s practically all blamed on the ‘substances he took’ and that the culprit ‘can’t remember’ the attack because of all the bad bad intoxicants. What about the other 64 offences?
Fair play to the guy. Not sure if a “chivalrous and courageous” description of the man was necessary by the judge as I see blokes stepping in to help people every day of the week in all kinds of situations. If he is in fact “chivalrous and courageous” then so is virtually every single man I know in my personal life.
No I disagree, I was mugged once on Amiens St years ago and hit quite viciously and I could see at least three people scurrying by with their heads down, and to be honest I couldn’t really blame them as the muggers were off their heads even though we’d all like to think we’d step in
I’m no expert on these matters but 64 “convictions” in about 5 years..that would suggest that he got away with many more offences not proven..didn’t his victim say he was hiding his face in preparation for attacking the woman from behind?a one man crime wave.
64 convictions in about 10 years. Put him away now and save countless people the grief he would otherwise cause into the furture.
The only way to get the govt to act is hit them in the pocket. If the victim, mr Callan sued the state for negligent court sentences or failing to keep him safe due to the amount of convictions, then law would be drafted for minimum sentences
The blame for this assault lies firmly with judge who in his expert opinion that conviction 64 didn’t see this lowlife locked up for a very very long time.
The judge who allowed this man free should pay compensation to the victim.
wow Niall you must be very observant .
@Joachin: The 64 priors were proven… as he had convictions. It’s the other 5000 things he’s done that he wasn’t caught for that are unproven. 64! They should throw away the key.
Scobie should have got longer.
64 previous convictions…a busy psychopathic chap..
He paid someone to do a bit of painting years ago and suddenly he had his own business and employed staff. Pull the other one.
Imagine being the solicitor bullshiiting your way to a more lenient sentence.
I’m generally proud of this country and its people – the thing that sticks in my craw more than anything is the judiciary and the sentencing. 64 PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS! Serious assault on a decent citizen who probably prevented an attack on a vulnerable woman and this sc@mbag gets 42 months in jail – with automatic remission of 25% he’ll be back on the street in around 2 1/2 years. It’s sickening.
64 previous convictions. Could no one see the trend there like…
Ah yes a true blue Dub -salt of the earth, gerrowra ra.. And it’s all down to the winning combo of ” tablets and alcohol ” Did you ever hear such rubbish in all you life. Sure -he had his own business at 19 until those damn tablets took hold. And they always come from respectable families these beauts. Yea it’s sounds as tho his “mudda and fadda” did a delightful job in raising this gentleman. A doff of the cap to all concerned. Nice name too – Karl. Quality.
Are you trying to say that this only happens in Dublin Rob? Typical small town small mind comment..
Rob, not sure what point you’re trying to make there. Are you sugeesting that this would only happen in Dublin with such a crime only committed by a ‘true blue Dub’. If so then open your eyes bud.
Rob..there are a number of Irishmen born after 1979 who are called Karl instead of the more common John Paul.
Sc**bag no doubt.. But what has his name got to do with it? I know a few Karls and none of them behave like him!
Not many called karol?
Why not more
I wonder of given a choice between homelessness for the winter, or a prison cell with food and a roof over ones head, prison is an actual punishment.
People need better choices.
He was targeting his head!!! This was not an assault it was attempted murder. no doubt we will be reading about this guy again in 3 months when he “escapes” from a holiday camp or open prison as they call it. This man clearly has the potential to kill and I doubt a holiday in mountjoy will make him see the errors of his ways.
He puts the gurr in gurrier.
64 previous convictions….it beggars belief. Reminds me of that Traveller gang who were sent down after the robbing spree in Tipperary. One of the gang was just 22 yet he had 120 prior convictions. 120! The entire gang of 7 had 305 previous convictions….one of them had been banned from every pub in Dublin and had bitten a Garda. Yet they were only given on average 5 years each. And this followed the leader of the gang who had previously been paroled and who went on a crime spree that involved the shooting of three people.
The judiciary are a JOKE. We have a revolving door where these thugs have no fear whatsoever of the law. They get a rap on the knuckles and are then sent home. Only when they’re up over 50-60 convictions it seems, will a judge finally cop on and impose a sentence.
Robert..the penile(sic)reform trust think the system is still too punitive…that prison breaches their human rights…instead,we should expend more “resources” on their rehabilitation..
The justice system in the dock again. 64 previous convictions and he’s walking the streets.
This is the worstly writed article I ever readed
No apology really evident. Sad.
Gurr meaning gurrier how these guys with 64 convictions surely after 20 it’s time to throw away the key .He will serve a short while the injured party will be a nervous wreck for the rest of his life and will have to spend a fortune on therapy our system sucks .Now can you blame any person for shying away from helping someone in need we live in a sad world .
Was it ever proven that the guy was actually about to rob the woman?
Was she even aware what transpired?
Sounds like the victim was holding up well in the fight and in my opinion he should have got a few digs in when he had the upper hand.
Anyway. Could have been a lot worse.
Tommy…good point..he may not have been going to rob that woman but I’d say the 64 previous convictions mitigates against that notion…and I think his entitlement of a presumption of innocence terminates on/with the verdict of GUILTY.and yes,it could have been worse…he could have got away.
@TommyRyder – you’re an idiot !
Google the defense lawyer she has a long history of defending the indefeasible
i was about to say “wow! 3 years for that one attack. now that’s more like it!”
but then…….i realised he had about 60 other convictions. so now i think 3 years is not enough at all
have your say