Industrial producer prices in the euro zone rose by 0.6 percent in March, compared with the previous month, the European Union (EU)'s statistics bureau Eurostat said on Tuesday.

Compared with March 2009, industrial producer prices, which are a key indicator of inflation, rose by 0.9 percent in the 16-nation bloc that uses the euro.

In March, only non-durable consumer goods fell by 0.1 percent. Prices in the energy sector rose by 1.7 percent from February, while prices in total industry excluding the energy sector increased by 0.3 percent in the euro zone. Capital goods remained stable. Intermediate goods gained 0.6 percent. Durable consumer goods rose by 0.1 percent.

In the 27-nation EU, industrial producer prices grew by 0.7 percent month on month in March and increased by 1.7 percent year on year.

Among the member states for which data were available, the largest monthly increase in the total index was recorded in Britian, where it was up by 1.7 percent. The sharpest decrease was observed in Sweden, where it was down by 1.7 percent.