Reappearance of long-lost inflation trend

Positive trend: People at a shopping centre in Paris. France’s government is desperately trying to avoid a new lockdown or stricter measures that would hurt the economy. — AP

PARIS: The French economy is set to emerge from the Covid pandemic with inflation significantly closer to 2%, something monetary authorities had unsuccessfully battled to achieve since the global financial crisis more than a decade ago.

According to updated forecasts from the country’s central bank, consumer price growth will settle at around 1.5% in 2023 and 2024, after the effect of surging energy prices tails off next year.