Inflation accelerated in the euro area

Euro-area inflation accelerated to the fastest pace since January 2013, providing fresh arguments to those calling for an exit from the European Central Bank’s monetary stimulus program.

Consumer prices rose 2 percent in February from a year earlier, the European Union’s statistics agency in Luxembourg said Thursday. That matched the median estimate of 47 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. The rate was 1.8 percent in January. (MTI)