Consumer prices in Germany were 0.8% higher in October 2016 compared with October 2015. This means that the inflation rate as measured by the consumer price index continues to rise in the second half of the year (August 2016: +0.4%; September 2016: +0.7%). An inflation rate of +0.8% was last recorded in October 2014. Compared with September 2016, the consumer price index rose by 0.2% in October 2016. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) thus confirms its provisional overall results of 28 October 2016.

The development of energy prices (-1.4% on October 2015) had a downward effect on the overall rise in prices in October 2016, as had been the case in the preceding months. However, the year-on-year decline in energy prices has continuously slowed since July 2016 (July 2016: -7.0%; August 2016: -5.9%; September 2016: -3.6%). Compared with October 2015, especially household energy prices were down (-2.3%, including charges for central and district heating: -7.5%; gas: -3.9%; heating oil: -1.4%). The prices of motor fuels were up year on year (+0.4%, including supergrade petrol: +0.7%; diesel fuel: +0.2%). Excluding energy, the inflation rate (+1.1%) was slightly lower than in September 2016 (+1.2%).