Inflation Down By 0.1% In Europe

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 Inflation Down To 0.3%

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%).

Self-Employment In UK In 2014

In 2014 there were 4.6m self-employed people in the UK accounting for 15% of people in work. It is highest percentage it has been at any point in the last 40 years. There were also 356,000 employees who had a second job in which they were self-employed.

The rise in total employment since 2008 has been among the self-employed. It is largely due to fewer people leaving self-employment than in the past. Self-employed people tend to be older than employees. Self-employment among the over 65s has more than doubled in the past 5 years to reach nearly half a million.

Average median income from self-employment has fallen by 22% since 2008-9. In 2012-13 average median income from self-employment was £207 according to the Family Resource Survey. It should be noted that household surveys tend to underestimate income from self-employment. Income figures also include individuals who made a loss whereas employed people do not get paid a negative figure. Self-employed people do not get the same benefits as employed people in terms of sick pay, paid leave or maternity pay.

London had the highest concentration of self-employed people at 17.3% followed by the south west on 16.6% and the south east at 15.8%. The north east had the lowest concentration at 10.8%.

Across Europe the country with the highest rate of self-employment was Greece with 32%. Italy came next with 23.6% and Romania with 20.4%. The high figure for Greece is partly because of the high proportion of people self-employed in agriculture and the effects of tourism. The lowest rates were in Luxembourg with 8.1%, Denmark with 9% and Estonia with 9.4%. The EU average self-employment rate was 15.2% very close to the 15% in the UK. The UK has seen the third largest percentage rise in self-employment since 2009 at 19% behind Slovenia at 23% and Estonia at 20%. These countries are small in comparison and the average percentage change in the EU as a whole was -0.1%.

Annual Inflation Increase In Both Zones

European annual inflation increased in both zones in June 2013 compared to May going up 1.6% in the euro area and 1.7% in the EU27. Monthly inflation increased by 0.1% in both zones in June. Romania had the highest annual rate with 4.5% and Greece the lowest with -0.3%. The lowest 12 month average rate was in Greece with 0.2% and Romania the highest 4.5%.

Unemployment Up In Euro Area

Unemployment in the euro area rose to 12.2% in April 2013 a small increase on the 12.1% in March. The EU27 unemployment rate remained unchanged at 11%. The annual comparison shows a marked increase in unemployment in Europe since last year. In the euro area the unemployment rate was 11.2% and the EU27 had an unemployment rate of 10.3%.

The numbers of unemployed people in Europe were estimated to have been 26.588m. The euro area accounted for 19.375m of them. The lowest rates of unemployment were reported in Austria and Germany with 4.9% and 5.4% respectively. The highest rates were reported in Greece and Spain with 27% and 26.8% respectively.

These countries also reported the lowest and the highest rates for youth unemployment. Austria had 8% and Germany 7.5% youth unemployment and Greece had 62.5% and Spain 56.4% youth unemployment.

Euro Inflation Down 0.1%

Annual inflation in Europe in March, measured by HICPs, fell by 0.1% in both zones to 1.7% in the euro area and 1.9% in the EU27 from 1.8% and 2% respectively in February. Euro area monthly inflation (MUICP) was 1.2% in March and in the EU27 inflation for March was 0.9%.

Greece had the lowest annual inflation rate in March at -0.2%. Latvia reported -0.3%. The highest annual rate of inflation was in Romania with 4.4%. The UK reported no figures. Electricity (0.17%) and package holidays (0.12%) had the biggest impact in inflation while the biggest downward effects came from transport (-0.23%) and telecommunications (-0.22%).

Fall In European Annual Inflation

Annual inflation fell in Europe in February in both the euro area and the EU27. In the euro area inflation fell to 1.8% from 2% while in the EU27 it fell to 2% from 2.1% in January. The monthly inflation figures also fell by 0.4% in both zones.

The lowest annual rates were in Greece (0.1%) and Portugal (0.2%) and the highest rates were in Romania (4.8%) and Estonia (4%). The biggest upward contributions to the changes were from electricity (0.17%), fruit and tobacco (both 0.07%) and the biggest downward contributions came from telecommunications (-0.22%), medical and paramedical services (0.08%) and garments (0.07%).

European Inflation Falls In October

Inflation in Europe fell in October according to Eurostat. Euro area inflation fell 0.1% from 2.6% in September to 2.5% in October. EU annual inflation was 2.6% in October down from 2.7% in September. The annual comparison also shows a decrease in inflation in the euro area from 3% and in the EU27 from 3.4% last year. The lowest annual rates in October were seen in Greece, Sweden and Latvia and the highest in Hungary, Romania and Estonia. The lowest annual averages were in Sweden, Greece and Ireland and the highest in Hungary, Estonia and Poland. In the euro area the main components for annual rates were transport, alcohol and tobacco and housing and the lowest in communiactions, recreation and culture, clothing and household equipment. The monthly rate were mainly affected by clothing and education, alcohol and tobacco and the lowest for transport, communications, recreation and culture and hotels and restaurants.

Europe Increased Production In August

Industrial production in Europe increased by 0.6% in the euro area and 0.3% in the EU27 in August compared with July according to a statistical bulletin from Eurostat. When comparing August 2012 with August 2011 industrial production fell by 2.9% in the euro area and 1.8% in the EU27. The highest increases were in Portugal (6.8%), Lithuania (4.6%), Slovenia (4%) and Greece (2.5%). The largest decreases were in Czech Republic (-2.9%), Denmark (-2.8% and Romania and Finland (both -1.1%).

Producer Prices Up In Europe

The industrial producer prices index by Eurostat increased by 0.2% in the euro area in November 2011 and by 0.3% in the EU27 compared with October. When compared with November 2010 the index went up by 5.3% in the euro area and by 6.3% in the EU27.

Total industry prices excluding energy fell by 0.1% in the euro area and remained stable in the EU27 in the monthly comparison. Energy prices increased by 0.9% and 0.1% respectively. Non-durable consumer goods increased by 0.3% in both areas and durables by 0.2%. Intermediate goods fell by 0.4% and 0.3% respectively and capital goods remained stable.

In the annual comparison total industry prices increased by 3% in the euro area and by 3.3% in the EU27. Energy prices increased by 12.3% and 13.8% respectively. Prices in the non-durable goods sector increased by 3.6% in the euro area and 4.2% in the EU27, intermediate goods by 3.5% and 3.8% respectively, durables by 2.6% in both zones and capital goods by 1.4% in the euro area and by 1.5% in the EU27.

Sweden reported the largest increases on the monthly comparison with 1.6%, followed by the UK, Ireland and Greece. Using the annual comparison, the greates increases were in the UK with 11.6% followed by Lithuania (10.8%) and Latvia (9.1%).

An Increase In European Inflation In July

Euro area inflation (MUICP) was 1.7% in July 2010 comapred with 1.4% in June and EU annual inflation (EICP) was 2.1% compared with 1.9% in June. The lowest rates were in Ireland (-1.2%), Latvia (-0.7%) and Slovakia (1%) and the highest were in Romania (7.1%), Greece (5.5%) and Hungary (3.6%).

Consumer Inflation Falling Across Europe

Euro area inflation in June 2010 was 1.4% down from 1.6% in May. EU annual inflation was 1.9% in June from 2% in May. It was 0.6% a year ago.

The lowest annual inflation rates among Member States in June 2010 were in Ireland with -2% and Latvia with -1.6%. Greece had the highest inflation rate with 5.2% followed by Hungary with 5% and Romania with 4.3%. Inflation fell in 15 Member States, remained stable in 4 and grew in 8.

The things that added most to annual inflation in the euro area were transport and alcohol and tobacco. The lowest rates were in communications, recreation and culture and food. Monthly inflation was mostly affected by increases in alcohol and tobacco and hotels and restaurants. The lowest increases were in clothing, transport and communication.

EU Inflation Unchanged At 2%

EU annual inflation was unchanged at 2% in May 2010. The previous year it was 0.8%. Monthly inflation in May was 0.2%. Annual inflation in the euro area was 1.6% in May. This time last year it was 0.0%. Monthly inflation was 0.1% in May 2010.

The lowest annual inflation rates in the EU in May were in Latvia (-2.4%) and Ireland (-1.9%). The highest rates of inflation were in Greece (5.3%), Hungary (4.9%) and Romania (3.6%). Inflation fell in 10 member states and rose in 12. It was stable in the other 5. Over the year the picture is much the same with the highest rates in Ireland (-2.5%), Latvia (-1.2%) and Portugal (-0.5%) and the lowest in Hungary (5.1%), Romania (4.7%) and Poland (3.6%).

The main contributions to the changes came from recreation and culture and alcohol and tobacco (0.4%) with the highest monthly rates and food and communications (both -0.2%) and education (0.0%) the lowest.

Production In Europe Increased In April

Indicators from Eurostat tell us that in April 2010 industrial production in the euro area was up by 0.8% and by 0.5% in the EU27 compared with March 2010. Other monthly comparisons include the production of capital goods which increased by 1.1% in the euro area and 0.7% in the EU27. Durable consumer goods fell by 0.1% in the euro area but increased by 0.4% in the EU27. Non-durables fell by 1.2% and 1.6%. Intermediate goods grew by 2.2% and 2.7% respectively but energy fell by 0.9% and 0.2%. Industrial production rose in 12 and fell in 9 of the countries for which data is available. The highest increases were in Lithuania with 6%, Estonia 2.4% and Denmark with 2.2%. Ireland registered the biggest decrease with 10.9%, Portugal's production fell by 4.4% and Greece by 3.4%.

Annual comparisons suggest that in April 2010 compared with April 2009 industrial production increased by 9.5% in the euro area and 7.8% in the EU27. Intermediate goods made the biggest contribution with growth of 16% in the euro area and 14.1% in the EU27. Capital goods increased by 8.9% in the euro area and 7.9% in the EU27. Energy production rose by 6.9% and 5% respectively. Production of non-durable consumer goods went up by 3% in the euro area and 1.1% in the EU27 and of durables by 1.4% and 4.1% respectively. On a national level industrial production rose in 18 of the member states for which data is available. The highest increases were in Estonia (18.3%), the Netherlands (14.7%) and Germany (13.9%). The only states in which industrial production fell were Greece (-6.4%), Ireland (-2.8%) and Bulgaria (-2.6%).

Industrial Prices Increase Across Europe

The euro area industrial producer price index rose by 0.9% in April 2010 compared with March. The EU27 rose by 1%. Prices increased by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.8% in the EU27. Over the year to April 2010 industrial producer prices in the euro area went up by 2.8% and by 3.7% in he EU27.

Looking at the monthly statistics in sectors, total industry excluding energy increased by 0.5% in the euro area and 0.6% in the EU27. Energy prices rose by 1.9% and 1.7% respectively. Durables increased by 1% and 2%, non-durables by 0.1% and 0.2% respectively. Capital goods stayed to same in the euro area but increased by 0.2% in the EU27 and intermediate goods increased by 1.3% in both groups. Annual results show that total excluding energy increased by 1% and 1.1%. Energy prices rose by 7.7% and 10.2% respectively. Durables gained by 0.4% in the euro area and 0.7% in the EU27 and non-durables declined by 0.4% and 0.1% respectively. Capital goods fell by 0.1% in the euro area but rose by 0.1% in the EU27. Intermediate goods increased by 2.7% in the euro area and 2.6% in the EU27.

The were only two states in which decreases were seen, namely Latvia and Slovakia, both decreasing by 4.5%. Increases were recorded in all other states including Greece 9.1%, UK 8.5% and Malta on 16.7%.