Inflation in the eurozone rose further in December to 2.4 percent annually from 2.2 percent in November.

The European statistics agency Eurostat reported this in a preliminary estimate.

The increase is mainly due to higher energy prices, while prices in the service sector rose slightly. Core inflation in the eurozone, which does not include the fluctuating prices for energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, remained unchanged at 2.7 percent.

Within the eurozone, Croatia had the highest inflation, at 4.5 percent, and Ireland had the lowest, at 1 percent. In Germany and France, the two largest economies in the eurozone, inflation was 2.8 and 1.8 percent, respectively.