French consumer prices climbed 2.1 percent year-on-year in July, up from 1.8 percent in June, as energy and service costs pushed inflation higher. Energy prices surged 12.6 percent compared with a year earlier, while natural gas costs jumped 17.7 percent and petroleum products rose 20.7 percent, according to data released Thursday.
The harmonized consumer price index reached 2.4 percent, up from 2 percent the previous month. Service prices also accelerated, gaining 2.2 percent annually after a 1.9 percent increase in June.
Elsewhere in Europe, Finnish inflation remained steady at 2.1 percent in July, with fuel and electricity costs driving price growth. Construction costs in Finland rose 3.3 percent year-on-year, while the broader eurozone posted 2.9 percent inflation.