The French Consumer Price Index (CPI) observed an annual rise of 0.8% in February, falling below 1% for the first time since February 2021, according to a preliminary report by the country's statistical office INSEE published on Friday. The figure declined from January's annual inflation rate of 1.7% and came lower than analysts' expectations.
The drop was attributed mostly to the decrease in energy prices, which went down by 5.7% compared to the same month in 2024. Meanwhile, tobacco observed a jump of 4.5%, while prices of services climbed by 2.1%,
On a monthly basis, inflation remained unchanged in February. The Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) stood at 0.9% year-on-year while remaining steady compared to the month before.