The French provisional consumer price index for July was unchanged compared with June and showed a 1.5 per cent rise year-on-year.
That suggests there is no pressure on the ECB to change interest rates before the end of this year, according to Eurozone economists.
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Figures published by the Insee statistics office this morning were in line with consensus forecasts showing a 0.1 per cent decline in July compared with June and a 1.5 per cent rise year-on-year.
Mr Alexandre Bourgeois, an economist with Natexis Banques Populaires, said: "The index benefited generally from seasonal factors in July mainly the effect of the summer sales."
"On the other hand, the seasonal fall in fresh food prices [down 5.8 per cent] prompted a net decline for overall food prices," he said.
"Under these circumstances, even if there is a slight price increase in coming months, inflation could settle at a reasonable level for the year at 1.8 per cent".
He said this trend, which is present in Germany and to a lesser degree in Italy, means the ECB is not under pressure to raise interest rates.
AFP