Eurozone inflation hits record high of 8.9% as energy prices soar

Cost of living crisis comes as 19-member currency bloc beats growth forecasts in second quarter

Inflation in the eurozone reached a record high of 8.9% this month, closing the gap with the UK's 9.4% rate.

Dearer energy was blamed for the lion's share of the increase from 8.6% in June, as the fallout from the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to hammer European economies.