BRUSSELS, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The eurozone annual inflation declined slightly in August which was unlikely to deter the European Central Bank(ECB) from ending its net asset purchases this year, data from Eurostat showed on Friday.

Data showed that Eurozone annual inflation is expected to be 2.0 percent in August, down from 2.1 percent in July.

The decline was partly driven by energy inflation, which edged down from 9.5 percent in July to 9.2 percent, due to past moves in oil prices.

The core rate, which excludes food, energy, alcohol and tobacco, also declined, from 1.1 percent to 1.0 percent.

"August's small decline in euro-zone inflation won't deter the ECB from ending its net asset purchases this year," said Jack Allen, a senior European economist with European Economics.

"But core inflation is still not on a sustained upward trend, so the Bank will be in no hurry to raise interest rates. We think that the first hike will come next September at the earliest," he added.