Annual inflation in the euro zone rose further to 1.9 percent in October, preliminary figures released on Friday by the European Union (EU)'s statistics bureau Eurostat showed. It was up from 1.8 percent in September, according to revised figures. Now the inflation was very close to the two-percent ceiling preferred by the European Central Bank (ECB) to maintain price stability, but it was widely expected that the Frankfurt-based ECB would continue to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at the record low level in the near term as economic recovery remains fragile in the euro zone. The ECB aims to keep the annual inflation in the euro zone close but below two percent. Eurostat did not provide details behind the rise of consumer prices in the 16-nation euro zone. A more detailed breakdown of October inflation will be released in the middle of November. 