Inflation rebounded in France and Spain in February, sending European governments’ borrowing prices up as doubts elevated over how shortly the European Central Financial institution will cease elevating rates of interest.

French client costs rose 7.2 per cent within the yr to February, pushed to the very best price because the euro was launched in 1999 by quicker will increase in meals and providers costs. Economists polled by Reuters had anticipated French inflation to stagnate at January’s 7 per cent degree.

Spanish client value progress in February accelerated to six.1 per cent, up from 5.9 per cent in January and above economists’ expectations for a fall to five.5 per cent, regardless of the federal government slicing meals taxes in January. 

European authorities bond costs fell in response on Tuesday, sending the yield on Germany’s rate-sensitive two-year bond up 0.08 proportion factors to three.15 per cent, its highest degree because the 2008 monetary disaster.

The figures counsel eurozone inflation might show extra persistent than hoped, forward of the publication of February value progress knowledge for the bloc on Thursday, which economists anticipate to indicate a slowdown to eight.1 per cent, from 8.6 per cent in January.

“There are clear upside dangers for euro inflation in February,” mentioned Jörg Krämer, chief economist at German lender Commerzbank.

Sharp drops in wholesale vitality costs after a light winter and lowered gasoline consumption have helped eurozone inflation to fall quickly from its October report of 10.6 per cent. Nonetheless, it’s unclear how shortly value progress will sluggish to the ECB’s 2 per cent goal.

The ECB has dedicated to an extra half proportion level improve in its deposit price at its assembly on March 16. That will take the benchmark price to three per cent, up from minus 0.5 per cent final July, and swap markets are pricing in additional will increase to only under 4 per cent by the top of the yr.

ECB chief economist Philip Lane mentioned on Tuesday there was nonetheless a powerful case for an additional half proportion level price rise in March despite the fact that “there’s important proof that financial coverage is kicking in” and forward-looking indicators present value pressures cooling.

“We’re all signed as much as the criterion that ample progress in underlying inflation is necessary,” Lane instructed Reuters, suggesting the ECB might want to see slowing value progress in items and providers in addition to vitality and meals earlier than it stops elevating charges. Even then, he mentioned it might be “fairly a long-lasting interval, a good variety of quarters” earlier than it minimize charges.

French inflation was primarily pushed up by quicker progress in meals and providers costs, whereas vitality inflation fell regardless of a 15 per cent rise within the regulated electrical energy tariff this yr. The nation’s core inflation price, which incorporates processed meals, rose from 5.6 per cent to five.8 per cent. The month-on-month progress in French client costs accelerated to 0.9 per cent, up from 0.4 per cent in January.

“The French knowledge counsel the ECB is true to remain on its steep tightening path for now,” mentioned Melanie Debono, an economist at analysis group Pantheon Macroeconomics. She added that increased Spanish inflation was “shocking” after Madrid launched a €10bn package deal of non permanent tax cuts on staples, together with bread, pasta, dairy merchandise, fruit and greens.

A measure of underlying Spanish inflation, which excludes vitality and contemporary meals, rose 0.7 per cent month on month and hit a report excessive of seven.7 per cent within the yr to February. 

“The prospect that the eurozone figures are available in even increased than our above-consensus forecast on Thursday and, in flip, of a 50 basis-point ECB price hike in Might, is rising,” Debono added.