France consumer prices rose by 0.8% in March

According to the report from Insee, in March 2019, the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose by 0.8% over a month, after a stability in February 2019. The rebound in manufactured product prices (+2.1% after −0.4%) and the increase in those of services (+0.2% after 0.0%) and tobacco (+7.3% after 0.0%) were slightly attenuated by a slowdown in energy prices (+1.1% after +1.3%) and a downturn in food prices (−0.2% after +0.2%). Seasonally adjusted, consumer prices increased by 0.1% over a month, after a stability in February.

Year on year, consumer prices rose by 1.1% in March 2019, after +1.3% in February. This drop in inflation came from a year-on-year slowdown in the prices of food, tobacco and services and from a little stronger fall than in February in those of manufactured products. Contrariwise, energy prices accelerated.

Year on year, core inflation fell to +0.5%, after +0.7% in the four previous months. The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) gathered pace by +0.9% over a month in March, after +0.1% in February; year on year, it grew by 1.3%, after +1.6% in the previous month.