Euro area consumer price inflation rose to 2.2% in September 2025, up from 2.0% in the previous three months, moving slightly above the European Central Bank’s 2.0% mid-point target, according to preliminary data. The increase was driven mainly by a smaller decline in energy costs, which fell just 0.4% compared with a 2.0% drop in August. Services inflation edged up to 3.2% from 3.1%, while prices for food, alcohol and tobacco rose at a slower 3.0% versus 3.2% previously, reflecting weaker unprocessed food inflation. Non-energy industrial goods inflation remained unchanged at 0.8%. Meanwhile, core inflation - which excludes energy, food, alcohol, and tobacco - was stable at 2.3%, holding at its lowest level since January 2022.