French HICP Rises 0.8%, Italian HICP 1.8% in June; Italy Trade Balance Hits €6.163 Billion, Eurozone Surplus €16.2 Billion in May

In June 2025, France reported a preliminary Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) year-on-year increase of 0.8%, surpassing the forecast of 0.7% and the previous 0.6%. The month-on-month HICP rose by 0.4%, above the expected 0.2%. France's Consumer Price Index (CPI) also showed a preliminary year-on-year increase of 0.9% and a month-on-month rise of 0.3%, both exceeding forecasts. Producer Price Index (PPI) data indicated a year-on-year increase of 0.2% and a month-on-month decline of 0.8%. Italy's June final HICP rose 1.8% year-on-year, slightly higher than the preliminary 1.7%, with a month-on-month increase of 0.2%. The Italian CPI for June was stable at 1.7% year-on-year and 0.2% month-on-month, matching forecasts. Italian PPI showed a year-on-year increase of 1.7% in June but a month-on-month decline of 0.7%. Italian retail sales year-on-year grew by 1.3% but declined 0.4% month-on-month in July. Eurozone data for May 2025 showed a trade surplus of €16.2 billion, beating estimates of €14.0 billion and rising from a revised €15.1 billion. Italy's trade balance also improved significantly in May, reaching €6.163 billion compared to the previous €2.482 billion, with the EU trade balance component at €0.776 billion, surpassing the previous €0.162 billion.