France's inflation rate unexpectedly climbed to the highest in more than 2.5 years in June as costs for food, energy and services rose.

Consumer prices jumped 2.3 per cent from a year earlier, based on European Union methodology, after rising an annual 2.2 per cent in May, the Paris-based national statistics office Insee said today. That's the biggest gain since October 2008.

Economists had forecast an increase of 2.2 per cent, according to the median of 10 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey. In the month, prices advanced 0.1 per cent.

Crude oil prices have jumped 26 per cent over the past year, forcing French motorists to pay more for gasoline and sapping households' disposable income. The European Central Bank, which on July 7th raised its benchmark rate for the second time this year, has repeatedly said it's determined to prevent higher energy costs from feeding into wage demands.

Oil products were 14.1 per cent more expensive in June from a year earlier, Insee said. Energy costs advanced 11.5 per cent, while food prices rose 1.8 per cent from June 2010, as did prices of services, including health-care costs and rent.

Bloomberg