LONDON (AP) — Inflation across the 18 euro countries dipped further toward zero in September, piling pressure on the European Central Bank to pull the trigger on its biggest stimulus weapon — a large-scale program to create new money.

Expectations that the bank will back such a program— similar to the one pursued by the U.S. Federal Reserve — mounted Tuesday after official figures showed consumer prices in the eurozone rose only 0.3 percent in the 12 months to September.