BERLIN (Reuters) – Inflation in Germany is expected to fall significantly in September, according to data published on Thursday in five Landër which suggest the beginning of the end of a period of high inflation across the Rhine.

Inflation in the five states, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse, fell by at least one percentage point, with Baden-Württemberg recording the largest drop, at 5 .1% in September compared to 7.0% the previous month.

The inflation rate ranges from 4.1% in Bavaria, compared to 5.9% the previous month, to 5.6% in Brandenburg, compared to 7.1%.

These data give hope for a decline in inflation at the national level and across the euro zone as a whole. European bloc data for September will be published on Friday: economists expect a slowdown in price increases to 4.5% compared to 5.2% in August.

Inflation figures for Germany are due this Thursday at 12:00 GMT. Analysts forecast a slowdown to 4.5% from 6.4% last month.

Price pressures have eased in Europe’s largest economy since last year, when an energy crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine sent inflation to a record 11.6% in October.

However, inflation remains well above the European Central Bank’s 2% target and core inflation, which excludes volatile components such as food and energy, remains high.

(report Miranda Murray, Corentin Chappron, edited by Blandine Hénault)

Copyright © 2023 Thomson Reuters