Key Points Annual euro zone inflation rose to 2.3% in November, statistics agency Eurostat said Friday. While it takes price rises back above the European Central Bank’s 2% target, the increase was expected and primarily down to effects from the energy market. Annual euro zone inflation rose to 2.3% in November, statistics agency Eurostat said Friday, climbing back above the European Central Bank’s 2% target. Economists polled by Reuters had expected the 2.3% annual rate for the month, up from 2% in October. Price rises in the bloc have ticked higher for two straight months after dropping to 1.7% in September, as was expected due to the fading deflationary pull from energy prices. Core inflation, excluding volatile energy, food, alcohol and tobacco prices, held at 2.7% for a third straight month in November. The core rate is being propped up by the stickiness of services inflation, which only slid slightly to 3.9% in November from 4% during the previous month.