Euro zone flash CPI rises 0.4% in September; Unemployment rate remains at 10.1%

Consumer prices in the Euro zone increased last month, official data showed on Friday. According to Eurostat's preliminary reading, the annual Consumer Price Index in the region advanced 0.4% in September, following to the preceding month's 0.2% and meeting analysts' expectations. Meanwhile, the so-called core CPI, which excludes food, energy, alcohol and tobacco, rose 0.8% in the reported month, unchanged from the previous month's reading, whereas economic desks anticipated a slight acceleration to 0.9%. Prices of food, alcohol and tobacco jumped 0.7% in the ninth month of the year, following August's rise of 1.3%, while prices of services and 1.2%,  slightly up from the previous month's 1.1%. Non-energy industrial goods prices accelerated 0.3%, unchanged from August, whereas the price of energy declined 3.0% in September, following the prior month's 5.6% fall. The Euro zone seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 10.1% in August, in line with July's reading but down from 10.7% seen in the same month year ago. Other data released by Federal Statistics Office showed that Germany's retail sales increased 3.7% on an annual basis and dropped 0.4% in August. The July figure was revised down to a gain of 0.5% from the originally reported rise of 1.7%.