France: HICP inflation edges up in March
April 12, 2018
Preliminary data released by the National Statistical Institute (INSEE) on 12 April showed that consumer prices jumped from a flat reading in February to a 1.0% month-on-month increase in March. A seasonal increase in the prices of manufactured goods and higher prices for tobacco products and food were largely behind the rise.
Inflation rose from 1.2% in February to a revised 1.6% increase in March (previously reported: +1.5%). Meanwhile, annual average inflation inched up from 1.0% in February to 1.1% in March.
Harmonized consumer prices rose 1.1% month-on-month in March, coming in above February’s flat reading. Harmonized inflation rose from 1.3% in February to 1.7% in March. Lastly, annual average HICP inflation remained steady in March at the 1.2% figure observed in February.
France Inflation Forecast
FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast panelists expect HICP inflation to average 1.3% in 2018, which is up 0.1 percentage points from last month’s forecast. For 2019, panelists project that inflation will remain steady at 1.5%.
