Year-on-year, main upward pressure came from prices of transport (6.9 percent compared to 5.7 percent in January); housing and utilities (0.7 percent compared to 0.6 percent); recreation and culture (1.6 percent compared to 0.9 percent); restaurants and hotels (3.2 percent compared to 3 percent); food and non-alcoholic beverages (0.2 percent compared to -0.5 percent) and miscellaneous goods and services (1.1 percent compared to 0.8 percent). In contrast, cost of clothing and footwear edged down 0.1 percent (after being flat in January).
On a monthly basis, consumer prices jumped 0.7 percent, following a 0.5 percent drop in January and above market expectations of 0.5 percent. The largest upward effect came from transport (1.2 percent compared to -0.6 percent in January), namely motor fuels, second-hand cars, sea and coach fares; recreation and culture (0.5 percent compared to -0.7 percent), namely personal computers including laptops and tablets; food (0.8 percent compared to 0.2 percent).
The core index which excludes prices of energy, food, alcohol and tobacco increased 2 percent on the year, higher than 1.6 percent in the previous two months and above expectations of 1.8 percent.