The Dutch annual rate of inflation rose again to 4% in November, according to a provisional estimate by national statistics agency CBS. In October, inflation was 3.6% and in September 3.5%.

Energy costs, including motor fuels, were down fractionally year on year, following a 2.7%decline last month. Food was 6.2% more expensive while services were up 5.5% in price, the CBS said.

Calculated according to European methods, inflation was 3.8% this month, up half a percentage point from October. The European figures do not take the cost of rental housing into account.

The average rate of inflation in the eurozone is currently around 2% and 2.3% in the EU as a whole.