For the first time in over three years, the German inflation rate remained below the 2% mark, as the Federal Statistical Office reported on Tuesday a preliminary 1.9% annual rise in consumer prices for August. The figure falls two days ahead of a key European Central Bank (ECB) meeting on Thursday, when many ECB watchers are expecting the bank to cut rates. Lower German and eurozone inflation rates give the bank room to lower its rates. In the eurozone, the inflation rate for August was estimated at 2.2%. In June, the ECB lowered its key interest rates by 0.25 percentage points for the first t…