PARIS (Reuters) -Inflation in France unexpectedly edged lower in December from a record high a month earlier, helped by slowing energy price rises, preliminary data from the INSEE national statistics body showed on Wednesday.
France’s EU-harmonised inflation rate fell to 6.7% in December, INSEE said, down from 7.1% in November and below a Reuters poll forecast of 7.2%.
Energy prices increased 15.1% compared with 18.4% in November. Food price inflation remained steady at 12.1%.
Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told France Inter radio that inflation would see a downward trend over the course of 2023. He has previously said inflation would remain high until mid-year before falling back.
(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
