Eurozone inflation falls to near 5-year low

BRUSSELS (AP) — Official figures show inflation across the 18 European Union countries that use the euro dipped further toward zero in September, a move that's likely to maintain pressure on the European Central Bank to back further stimulus measures.

Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, says Tuesday that consumer prices in the eurozone rose only 0.3 percent in the year to September against the previous month's 0.4 percent.

Inflation, which is at its lowest level since October 2009, is way below the ECB's target of just below 2 percent.

One reason behind the ECB's recent interest rate reductions has been to prevent a sustained bout of falling prices — so-called deflation, which can make consumers delay purchases.

Eurostat also said unemployment in the eurozone was unchanged at 11.5 percent in August.