Some European firms may reverse last years big price hikes

LONDON (Reuters) – Some companies in Europe have said they may unwind price hikes introduced in recent years as soaring costs of energy and other raw materials have eased, potentially providing some relief to consumers.

伦敦（路透社）——一些欧洲公司表示，随着能源和其他原材料成本的飙升有所缓和，他们可能会取消近年来实行的提价政策，这可能会减轻消费者的负担。

The projected cuts are the latest sign that inflation in the euro zone has peaked and may encourage hopes of a soft landing for the regions economy, which have fuelled a stock market rally this year.

预期的削减是欧元区通胀已见顶的最新迹象，并可能鼓励对该地区经济软着陆的希望，这推动了今年股市的上涨。

They are not yet broad-based though. Companies still face higher wages and borrowing costs and they may take time to translate to prices in stores while consumer goods and food producers as well as retailers pass on higher expenses.

但它们的基础还不广泛。公司仍面临更高的工资和借贷成本，它们可能需要时间才能转化为商店价格，而消费品和食品生产商以及零售商会转嫁更高的费用。

On Wednesday, packaging giant Smurfit Kappa said it kept prices steady in the last few months of last year as input cost inflation moderated.

周三，包装巨头 smurfit kappa 表示，随着投入成本通胀放缓，它在去年最后几个月保持价格稳定。

But prices would “inevitably” fall in the second half due to contractual terms with some customers, Chief Executive Tony Smurfit told Reuters. Any declines beyond that will depend on a continued fall in key input costs.

但首席执行官 tony smurfit 告诉路透社，由于与一些客户的合同条款，下半年价格将“不可避免地”下跌。除此之外的任何下降都将取决于关键投入成本的持续下降。

“We can‘t control energy and waste paper. We just have to see where those actually lead us in the six months or so. If they start to reverse, then you’ll see things reversing for next year, but we have to wait and see,” he said.

“我们无法控制能源和废纸。我们只需要看看在六个月左右的时间里，这些人实际上将我们带到了哪里。如果他们开始逆转，那么你会看到明年的情况发生逆转，但我们必须拭目以待，”他说。

Italian mass-market clothing retailer OVS said last week it plans to keep prices steady or even cut them this year as it sees inflationary pressures easing.

意大利大众服装零售商 ovs 上周表示，随着通胀压力的缓解，今年计划保持价格稳定甚至降价。

It is expecting a weighted average commodity decline of around 20% for the group and lower energy prices this year.

它预计今年该集团的加权平均商品价格将下降 20% 左右，能源价格也会下降。

Slashing prices also reflects stiffening competition in some markets as companies struggle with waning consumer demand and households tighten budgets.

大幅降价也反映了一些市场竞争的加剧，因为企业正在努力应对消费者需求减弱和家庭收紧预算。

The reopening of China and the recent signs of the global economy reaccelerating may also keep commodity prices elevated at relatively high levels, Garnry said.

garnry 说，中国的重新开放和全球经济重新加速的近期迹象也可能使大宗商品价格保持在相对较高的水平。

Even so, gas prices and crude oil futures have fallen to below levels in early February 2022 before Russia invaded Ukraine. [O/R] [NG/EU]

即便如此，天然气价格和原油期货价格已跌至 2022 年 2 月初俄罗斯入侵乌克兰之前的水平以下。 [o/r] [ng/欧盟]

The blistering pace of increases in other inputs have also eased. Euro zone producer prices decelerated year-on-year in December, data showed earlier this month.

其他投入的迅猛增长速度也有所放缓。本月早些时候的数据显示，12 月份欧元区生产者价格同比下降。

Shipping rates have tumbled amid concerns about global recession and as pandemic-fuelled import bubbles deflate in the United States and other major consuming countries.

由于对全球经济衰退的担忧，以及美国和其他主要消费国因大流行病引发的进口泡沫破灭，运费大幅下跌。

Smurfit said the price of testliner paper, a key input cost that rose by 100 euros per tonne in the first half of 2022, has fallen by 160 euros per tonne since June. Kraftliner prices, up 60 euros per tonne in the first half, have since fallen by 120 euros a tonne.

smurfit 表示，2022 年上半年每吨上涨 100 欧元的测试衬纸价格自 6 月以来每吨下跌 160 欧元。 kraftliner 价格在上半年每吨上涨 60 欧元，此后每吨下跌 120 欧元。

Wages and borrowing costs

工资和借贷成本

Some companies wont make cuts though, as they protect margins or face higher wages and borrowing costs.

不过，一些公司不会削减开支，因为它们会保护利润率或面临更高的工资和借贷成本。

Dulux paint maker Akzo Nobel said on Wednesday it would hike prices further everywhere except China to compensate for inflationary effects on wages and inland freight costs.

多乐士涂料制造商阿克苏诺贝尔周三表示，将在除中国以外的所有地区进一步提高价格，以补偿通胀对工资和内陆运费的影响。

China was the exception due to market pressure there and an earlier easing of raw material costs.

由于市场压力和原材料成本较早下降，中国是个例外。

More commoditized companies like in packaging may be under pressure to slice prices to keep market share. Firms with more pricing power, like in the luxury goods sector, are likely to hold back, said Michael Field, equity market strategist at Morningstar.

包装等更多商品化公司可能面临降价以保持市场份额的压力。晨星股票市场策略师迈克尔菲尔德表示，拥有更多定价权的公司，如奢侈品行业，可能会有所保留。

“It does signal a retreat in operating margins for firms like Smurfit, hence the negative reaction in the share price this morning,” he said. The shares fell 3.8% on Wednesday to the bottom of Londons blue-chip FTSE 100.

“这确实表明像 smurfit 这样的公司的营业利润率下降，因此今天早上股价出现负面反应，”他说。该股周三下跌 3.8%，跌至伦敦蓝筹富时 100 指数底部。