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The sharp 4.6-per cent MoM fall in energy prices in the month (after a MoM rise of 1.6 per cent in January) was offset by the rise in services prices and the 0.3-per cent MoM rebound in prices of manufactured products (after a 1.1-per cent drop in January).
Seasonally adjusted, consumer prices decreased by 0.5 per cent MoM in February after a 0.5-per cent MoM rise in January.
Year on year (YoY), consumer prices in the country went up by 0.8 per cent in February after a 1.7-per cent YoY rise in January. For the first time since February 2021, the YoY change was below 1 per cent.
This fall in inflation is explained by the 5.8-per cent YoY fall in prices of energy (after a 2.7-per cent YoY rise in January), and to a lesser extent by the slowdown in those of services, manufactured goods (stable after a 0.2-per cent YoY rise in January).
Core inflation slightly slowed YoY, reaching 1.3 per cent in February after 1.4 per cent in January.
The prices of clothing and footwear slowed slightly in February—up by 1.6 per cent YoY after a 1.7-per cent YoY rise in January. The prices of furniture and furnishings decreased by 0.4 per cent YoY in the month after remaining stable YoY in the preceding month.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)