German inflation confirmed at 4-month low in March

Germany March final CPI was confirmed at +0.2 percent month-over-month as expected. There were no surprises in any of the final readings. Germany's consumer price index rose 1.6 percent year-on-year following 2.2 percent surge in February. The inflation figure was the weakest since November.

Germany's consumer prices, harmonized to compare with other European countries, rose by 0.1 percent in March from the previous month and jumped by 1.5 percent from the previous year, the Federal Statistics Office confirmed on Thursday.

All figures were unchanged from their initial estimates released by Destatis on March 30. Energy price inflation slowed sharply to 5.1 percent in March from 7.2 percent in February. Food price inflation eased to 2.3 percent from 4.4 percent.

Sharp acceleration in Germany’s inflation rate at the start of the year led to growing calls in the country for the European Central Bank (ECB) to lift its foot off the easing pedal after two years of stimulus measures.

The March reading marked the first slowdown in annual inflation in nearly a year. But economists say the later timing of Easter this year will lead to a rise in Germany's inflation rate in April.