01.03.202111:46:00UTC+00Italy Consumer Prices Rise Unexpectedly In February

Italy's consumer prices rose unexpectedly in February, preliminary data from the statistical office Istat showed on Monday.

The consumer price index rose 0.6 percent year-on-year in February, following a 0.4 percent increase in January. Economists had expected a 0.1 percent fall.

The core inflation excluding prices of energy and unprocessed food rose to 1.0 percent in February from 0.8 percent in the preceding month.

On a month-on-month basis, consumer prices rose 0.1 percent in February.

The EU measure of harmonized index of consumer prices, or HICP, rose 1.0 percent annually in February, following a 0.7 percent increase in the prior month. Economists had forecast a rise of 0.6 percent.

On a monthly basis, HICP fell 0.2 percent in January. Economists had expected a 0.5 percent fall.