The inflation rate - measured by the consumer price index - thus increased. A higher inflation rate was last recorded in November 2011 (+2.4%). Compared with August 2018, the consumer price index rose by 0.4% in September 2018. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) thus confirms its provisional overall results of 27 September 2018.

As in the preceding months, the increase of energy product prices had a considerable effect on the inflation rate. Energy prices rose 7.7% in September 2018 on September 2017. The rate of energy price increase thus increased again (August 2018: +6.9%). In September 2018, the prices of heating oil (+35.6%) and motor fuels (+13.0%), in particular, were higher than a year earlier. While the prices of mineral oil products rose sharply, relatively moderate price developments were observed for other energy products (for example, charges for central and district heating: +2.4%; electricity: +0.9%; gas: -1.5%). Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate would have been +1.6% in September 2018.