Producer prices flat in April in Europe

Producer prices in the European Union and eurozone were flat in April, the region's data office, said Monday. After producer prices rose 0.5 percent in both regions in March, prices were unchanged month-to-month in both the 27-member EU and the 17-member eurozone, the area that shares the euro as currency, Eurostat said. Compared to a year earlier in April, prices for industrial producers rose 2.8 percent in theEU and 2.6 percent in the eurozone, both figures sharply lower than the 12-month rise posted in March, which came to 3.5 percent in the eurozone and 3.9 percent in the EU. Energy prices fell 0.1 percent in the eurozone month-to-month and 6.8 percent compared to April 2011. In the EU, energy prices also fell 0.1 percent March to April and rose 6.6 percent compared to 12 months earlier. With 26 of 27 countries reporting -- Luxembourg being the exception -- prices dropped most in Spain in April compared to March, falling 0.8 percent. Prices paid by producers rose most in Bulgaria and Estonia, up 1.1 percent.