French inflation rate edges down

France's annual inflation rate edged down to 1

France's annual inflation rate edged down to 1.2 per cent in May, helped by a year-on-year fall in energy prices and unchanged manufactured goods, according to data today.

Both the annual headline figure - one of the lowest in the euro zone - and the monthly increase in consumer prices of 0.3 per cent were in line with the consensus.

The annual inflation rate in April was 1.3 per cent.

The data showed that energy prices fell 1.5 per cent compared with a year earlier, with petroleum products falling 2.9 per cent, while the cost of manufactured goods was flat.