In October, annual harmonized inflation in the European Union increased to 2.3%, with the Eurozone reporting a rate of 2.0%, according to Eurostat data. Inflation rates in both the EU and the Eurozone have risen compared to the previous month, with the September figures at 2.1% and 1.7%, respectively. However, these rates remain significantly below those recorded in October 2023, when EU inflation stood at 3.6% and the Eurozone at 2.9%.

In Bulgaria, harmonized inflation strengthened to 2.0% in October, up from 1.5% in September. This increase places Bulgaria among the 14 EU countries with inflation rates below the EU average of 2.3%, while 13 member states recorded higher levels. Compared to a year ago, when Bulgarian inflation was 5.9%, the current figure reflects a significant reduction.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices in the Eurozone rose by 0.3% in October, while the EU as a whole saw a 0.4% increase. Similarly, Bulgaria experienced a 0.6% rise in harmonized consumer inflation compared to September, aligning with recent data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI).

Across the EU, inflation rates varied widely. The lowest annual inflation in October was observed in Ireland (0.0%) and Lithuania (0.1%), while Romania reported the highest rate at 5.0%, followed by Belgium and Estonia at 4.5% each. These figures highlight the diverse inflationary pressures among EU member states during the month.