Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1 Percent, Firming Bets ECB Will Hold Rates Steady

Euro zone inflation edged up slightly in August, staying close to the European Central Bank’s (ECB) target and bolstering expectations that policymakers will keep interest rates unchanged at next week’s meeting.

Consumer prices across the 20-nation currency bloc rose by 2.1 percent in annual terms last month, up from 2.0 percent in July, according to Eurostat data released Sept. 2. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.2 percent after being flat in July.