France Inflation April 2008

France's inflation rate stayed close to a 12-year high in April, sustained by rising energy and food costs. Consumer prices climbed an annual 3.4 percent, down from 3.5 percent in March, based on European Union-harmonized methods, Insee, the national statistics bureau, said today in Paris. The March inflation rate was the highest since 1996, when Insee began reporting the data. Prices increased 0.4 percent from March.