Consumer inflation fell in both areas of the EU in November according to a statistical bulletin from Eurostat. Inflation in the euro area fell by 0.1% from 0.4% in October to 0.3% in November 2014. In the EU28 similarly the rate of inflation fell from 0.5% in October to 0.4% in November.
There were negative annual rates in Bulgaria, Greece, Spain and Poland with Bulgaria showing a rate of -1.9%. The highest rates were in Romania and Austria with annual rates of 1.5% and Finland on 1.1%.
Euro area annual inflation was 0.3% in September 2014, the lowest rate since October 2009 according to Eurostat. In August the rate was 0.4%. In September 2013 the rate was 1.1%. The monthly inflation rate in September 2014 was 0.4%.
In The European Union as a whole annual inflation was 0.4% in September 2014 down from 0.5% in August. It is the lowest rate since September 2009. In September 2013 the rate was 1.3%. The monthly rate in September 2014 was 0.3%.
High negative inflation growth was reported in Bulgaria (-1.4%) and Greece (-1.1%) and high annual rates were reported in Romania (1.8%), Finland (1.5%) and Austria (1.4%).
March 2014 saw retail trade increase across Europe by 0.3%. In February the increase in trade had been 0.1% in the euro area and 0.3% in the EU28. The annual comparison shows that in March 2014 compared with March 2013 the increase was 0.9% in the euro area and 1.6% in the EU28.
The 0.3% increase in the volume of retail trade on the monthly comparison in the euro area is due to a rise of 1.3% in the food, drinks and tobacco sector while the volume fell by 0.3% in the non-food sector and 0.1% in automotive fuel. In the EU28 the rise was due t rises of 1% for automotive fuel and 0.7% for food, drinks and tobacco.
The biggest increases were seen in Estonia and Latvia with 2.8%, France 2.3% and Romania with 2.2%. The decreases were in Portugal with a decrease of 1.7%, Austria with 0.9%, Germany, Ireland and Slovenia all with 0.7%.
The increase of 0.9% in volume over the year was due to rises of 1.9% in the non-food sector, 0.3% in automotive fuel and 0.3% in food, drinks and tobacco in the euro sector. The increase of 1.6% in the volume of retail trade in the EU28 was due to rises of 3.3% in the non-food sector and 1.8% for automotive fuel. Food, drinks and tobacco fell by 0.1%.
Romania saw the biggest increase with a rise of 13.4% in volume, Luxembourg was next with 12.1% and Hungary with 8.4%. Malta with -2%, Finland with -1.3%, Slovenia -1.1% and Spain with -0.6% saw the biggest decreases in volume of retail trade.
In January 2014 industrial production in the euro area fell by 0.2% and increased by 0.1% in EU28 according to a statistical release from Eurostat. In December 2013 industrial production fell in both zones. The annual comparison for January suggests that industrial production increased by 2.1% in the euro area and 2.4% in the EU28.
Gross domestic expenditure on research and development (R&D) fell by 2% to £27m in 2012 compared with 2011. When adjusting this for inflation R&D expenditure fell by 3%. Since 1985 R&D expenditure has increased by 56% from £17.3bn in 1985 peaking at £27.9bn in 2011.
The business sector contributed 63% of all UK R&D expenditure in 2012. At current prices expenditure decreased by 2% to £17.1% in 2012 compared with 2011. Total expenditure on R&D in the UK in terms of GDP was 1.72%, down from 1.77% in 2011. When UK figures are compared internationally UK R&D is below the EU28 provisional estimate of 2.06% of GDP.
European retail volumes were up by 1.6% in the euro area in January compared with December 2013 according to Eurostat. The EU28 reported increases of 0.9%. In January 2014 compared with January 2013 retail trade increased by 1.3% and 1.9% respectively.
The increase in the monthly comparison in the euro area is due mainly to increases in the non-food sector of 1.9%, 1.5% for automotive fuel and 1.1% for food, drinks and tobacco. In the EU 28 the rise is due to an increase of 1.4% for automotive fuel, 1.3% for non-food sector and 0.3% for food, drinks and tobacco.
The main contributors to the 1.3% increase in the volume of retail trade in the annual comparison in the euro area were increases of 2.9% for automotive fuel, 2.5% in the non-food sector while food drinks and tobacco fell by 0.4%. In the EU28 the 0.9% increase was due to increases of 3.6% in the non-food sector, 2.1% in automotive fuel and 0.1% in food, drinks and tobacco.
The euro area had an international trade in goods surplus of 13.1bn euro in September 2013 according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. This compares with a surplus of 8.6m euro in September 2012. September's surplus also compares well with the 6.9bn euro surplus of August 2013. Seasonally adjusted exports rose by 1% in September 2013 when compared with August but imports fell by 0.3%.
Early estimates also suggest that extra-EU28 trade in goods showed a 0.6bn euro surplus compared with a deficit of 14.5bn euro in September 2012. Seasonally adjusted exports rose by 0.2% while imports fell by 0.2%.
Industrial producer prices in Europe went up by 0.1% in both the euro area and the EU28 in September compared with August 2013 according to a statistical bulletin from Eurostat. Over the year to September 2013 industrial producer prices fell by 0.9% in the euro area and 0.5% in the EU28.
Prices in total industry excluding energy fell by 0.1% in both zones over the month. Energy prices increased by 0.5% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the EU28. Consumer durables increased by 0.1% in both zones and capital goods and non-durable consumer goods remained unchanged but intermediate goods fell by 0.1%.
Over the year, total industry prices excluding energy fell by 0.1% in the euro area and rose by 0.1% in the EU28. Energy prices decreased by 2.7% and 2.4% respectively. Intermediate goods fell by 1.5% in the euro area and 1.3% in the EU28 Capital goods increased by 0.6% and 0.7% respectively. Durables increased by 0.8% in the euro area and 0.5% in the EU28 and non-durables increased by 1.6% and 1.8% respectively.
Retail trade volumes were up by 0.7% in the euro area in August compared with July 2013 according to estimates from Eurostat. In the EU28 volumes were up by 0.4%. In July both zones reported increases of 0.5%. Over the year the retail index fell by 0.3% in the euro area but increased by 0.3% in the EU28.
Industrial producer prices remained stable in the euro area in August 2013 according to a statistical release from Eurostat, compared with an increase of 0.2% in July. However, in the EU28 factory gate prices increased by 0.1% compared with an increase of 0.4% in July.
The annual comparison for August 2012 and 2013 shows that prices increased by 0.8% in the euro area over the year and in the EU28 by 0.3%.
