The latest on futures and Germany's inflation rate

Futures little moved

Futures are contracts that obligate the buyer to buy or the seller to sell a certain amount of a commodity, such as oil or wheat, at a set price on a future date. They are used by companies to hedge against price fluctuations.

On Tuesday, futures prices for oil and wheat were little changed.

Oil

The price of oil has been volatile in recent weeks, but it has stabilized in recent days. As of Tuesday, the price of a barrel of oil was $57.22, which is slightly higher than the price at the beginning of the month.

Wheat

The price of wheat has also been volatile in recent weeks, but it has also stabilized in recent days. As of Tuesday, the price of a bushel of wheat was $5.25, which is slightly lower than the price at the beginning of the month.

Germany inflation at 1.9 percent

Germany's inflation rate rose to 1.9 percent in February, according to data released by the Federal Statistical Office on Tuesday. This is the highest level since October 2018.

The increase in inflation was driven by higher energy prices. The cost of energy rose by 4.7 percent in February, compared to a year earlier.

The European Central Bank (ECB) targets an inflation rate of 2 percent. The ECB has said that it is willing to take action to raise inflation if necessary.