France's CPI up 0.9 pct in February

Alsharq Tribune-M.Essam 

France's consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.9 percent year on year in February, from 0.3 percent in January, the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) said Friday.

According to INSEE, the rise in inflation was largely driven by a less pronounced decline in energy prices, which fell 2.9 percent year on year in February after dropping 7.6 percent in January, mainly due to a base effect linked to electricity prices that sharply declined in February 2025.

Food prices went up 2 percent from a year earlier after a 1.9 percent increase in January, while tobacco prices rose 3 percent after growing 2.7 percent in the previous month. By contrast, services inflation eased marginally to 1.6 percent from 1.7 percent in January.

Monthly, the CPI increased by 0.6 percent in February after a 0.3 percent decline in January. INSEE said the rebound was mainly due to a seasonal rise in manufactured goods prices, which climbed 1.4 percent after falling 1.9 percent in January, as winter sales in clothing and footwear ended. Prices for clothing and footwear rose 5.9 percent after dropping 10.2 percent a month ago.

Service prices also rebounded, rising 0.5 percent in February after edging down 0.1 percent in January, partly driven by seasonal factors, while energy prices continued to increase month on month.

Underlying inflation stood at 0.9 percent in February, up from 0.7 percent in January, INSEE said.