EUROZONE factory prices fell at their sharpest monthly rate in a year in October as the cost of energy and non-durable goods such as food dropped sharply, putting pressure on the European Central Bank (ECB) to do more to lift the bloc’s depressed economy.

    Prices at factory gates in the 18 countries sharing the single currency declined by 0.4 percent from September, the European Union’s statistics office Eurostat said Tuesday.

    Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a 0.3 percent drop. The figure was pulled down most by a 0.9 percent drop in energy costs and by a 0.6 percent decline of non-durable goods prices, depressed by the slide in oil and commodity prices.

    October’s fall in producer prices feeds into the eurozone’s wider problem with deflationary pressures. Factory prices have only risen in June and September this year.

    On an annual basis, prices fell 1.3 percent in October, in line with market expectations and a slightly lower pace than the 1.4 percent slide seen in both August and September. Only prices of capital and durable consumer goods rose.

    The steepest annual declines were seen in Slovakia, Estonia and the Netherlands.

    The global financial crisis and the ensuing eurozone crisis have badly hurt banks’ willingness to lend, damaged business confidence and left the region fighting record unemployment, which has sapped consumers ability to spend.

    Now the near 10 trillion euro (US$12.4 trillion) eurozone economy is facing the threat of deflation, which would make it even more difficult for the indebted bloc to pay off its debt.(SD-Agencies)