The inflation rate – measured by the consumer price index – thus decreased slightly (October 2018: +2.5%). Compared with October 2018, the consumer price index increased by 0.1% in November 2018. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) thus confirms its provisional overall results of 29 November 2018.

The increase of energy product prices again had a considerable effect on the inflation rate. Energy prices rose 9.3% in November 2018 on November 2017. The rise in energy prices has continuously accelerated since March 2018. In October 2018, the rate of energy price increase had been +8.9%. From November 2017 to November 2018, price rises were recorded especially for heating oil (+40.7%) and motor fuels (+15.0%). The price increases for other energy products were much smaller (for example, charges for central and district heating: +3.7%; electricity: +1.0%). Gas prices were down on a year earlier (-1.4%). Excluding energy prices, the inflation rate would have been +1.4% in November 2018; excluding the prices of mineral oil products, it would also have been +1.4%.