BRUSSELS, May 16 (UPI) -- The 12-month consumer price index in the 17-member eurozone rose 2.6 percent in April, the European Union's data office said Wednesday.
The inflation rate is 0.1 percentage points lower than March, Eurostat said.
For the 27-member European Union, the annual rate of inflation in April was slightly higher at 2.7 percent.
Sweden, where prices were up 1 percent, reported the lowest rate of inflation. Prices rose 1.5 percent in Greece, while Ireland and Romania both reported 1.9 percent increases.
The highest inflation rates were posted in Estonia, where prices are rising 4.8 percent on an annual basis, Hungary, with prices up 4.4 percent, and Slovakia with prices up 4.2 percent.
Inflation across the eurozone on an annual basis was pushed by a 4.7 percent rise in alcohol and tobacco prices. Transportation prices rose 4.3 percent and housing prices rose 3.9 percent.
On a monthly basis, prices rose 2.3 percent for apparel, 0.8 percent for transportation, 0.6 percent for hotels and restaurants. Prices dropped on a monthly basis for communications (down 0.7 percent), education (down 0.2 percent) and food, where prices held steady.
