By William L. Watts
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Inflation in the euro zone rose at a 2.4% annual rate in February, up from 2.3% in January, the European Union statistics agency Eurostat reported Tuesday in a preliminary estimate. The reading was in line with expectations. The European Central Bank's target is near but just below 2%. Separately, the unemployment rate in the euro zone slipped to 9.9% in January from 10% in December, Eurostat reported. Economists had forecast the jobless rate to hold steady at 10%.
