The early signs point to some brutal inflation numbers from Europe

These two headlines so far today underlines what the euro area economy is facing in March:

• North Rhine Westphalia March CPI +7.6% vs +5.3% y/y prior
• Spain March preliminary CPI +9.8% vs +8.0% y/y expected

It is looking pretty brutal with the North Rhine Westphalia report showing a big surge in fuel prices (+24.7%) and household energy (+14.1%) on the month. Meanwhile, the Spain report details a significant acceleration in electricity, fuel and food and beverage prices with core inflation Inflation Inflation is defined as a quantitative measure of the rate in which the average price level of goods and services in an economy or country increases over a period of time. It is the rise in the general level of prices where a given currency effectively buys less than it did in prior periods.In terms of assessing the strength or currencies, and by extension foreign exchange, inflation or measures of it are extremely influential. Inflation stems from the overall creation of money. This money is m Inflation is defined as a quantitative measure of the rate in which the average price level of goods and services in an economy or country increases over a period of time. It is the rise in the general level of prices where a given currency effectively buys less than it did in prior periods.In terms of assessing the strength or currencies, and by extension foreign exchange, inflation or measures of it are extremely influential. Inflation stems from the overall creation of money. This money is m Read this Term also rising from 3.0% to 3.4% - its highest since 2008.

We all know the Russia-Ukraine war has definitely exacerbated the situation but this is vicious stuff.

If you're wondering whether consumers are going to feel the pinch, there's almost no doubt about that when you see numbers like that.