Euro-Area Producer Prices Offer No Inflation Joy for ECB

(Bloomberg) --

Producer-price inflation in the euro area is on a downward trend, and is now barely above zero. While the headline index is skewed by moves in oil prices, even when energy is stripped out, it’s clear the figures aren’t going to inspire confidence among European Central Bank policy makers about the inflation outlook. They’re in countdown to their Sept. 12 decision, when they may announce an interest rate cut, and even restart quantitative easing.

To contact the reporter on this story: Fergal O'Brien in Zurich at fobrien@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Craig Stirling at cstirling1@bloomberg.net, Zoe Schneeweiss

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