Euro area1 annual inflation2 is expected to be -0.2% in December 2014, down from 0.3% in November3 , according to a flash estimate4 from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. This negative rate for euro area annual inflation in December is driven by a fall in energy prices (-6.3%, compared with -2.6% in November), while prices remain stable for food, alcohol & tobacco (0.0%, compared with 0.5% in November) and non-energy industrial goods (0.0%, compared with -0.1% in November). The only annual increase is expected for services (1.2%, stable compared with November). (full story)