Inflation remains stubbornly low in several eurozone states, according to data released yesterday which keeps pressure on the ECB to unveil new steps to stoke the moribund economy.

The annual rate of inflation in Germany increased to 1.5% in November, the federal statistics office Destatis has calculated.

Inflation in Germany slowed in June after a spike fired by oil prices pushed it to a two-and-a-half-year high in May.