BERLIN, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Germany's inflation accelerated sharply in July as energy prices jumped again following the expiry of a temporary government fuel tax cut, preliminary data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) showed on Thursday.
The inflation rate rose to 2.8 percent in July after slowing to 2.3 percent in June, Destatis said.
The increase was driven primarily by a surge in energy prices, which climbed 8.3 percent from a year earlier, compared with increases of 6.6 percent in May and 3.4 percent in June, according to the data.
Economists attributed the renewed rise in energy prices to the expiry of a two-month government fuel tax cut introduced in May, which reduced taxes on petrol and diesel by about 17 euro cents (0.2 U.S. dollars) per liter and helped curb fuel prices through June.
Energy prices in Germany have risen more broadly since the escalation of the Middle East conflict in late February, pushing inflation well above the European Central Bank's 2-percent target from March.
According to the latest forecast by the German Council of Economic Experts, the government's independent economic advisory panel, inflation is expected to average 3 percent this year and 2.8 percent next year, respectively, up sharply from 2.2 percent in 2025. ■
