Summary
In February, the goods and services included in the Portuguese Consumer Price Index (CPI) cost on average 2.4% more than in February 2006, 0.2 percentage points (p.p.) lower than in the previous month (see figure 1).
The core inflation index, which excludes energy components and fresh unprocessed food products and intends to reflect price growth trends, rose at a lower rate than the CPI. Compared with February 2006, this index increased 2.0%, 0.4 p.p. lower than the CPI.
On a monthly basis, the CPI remained unchanged (0.0%), 0.2 p.p. lower than a year earlier. The CPI 12-month average rate was 3.0%.
In February, the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) for Portugal rose 2.3% when compared with February 2006, 0.3 p.p. lower than the previous month. The HICP remained unchanged between January 2007 and February 2007. The HICP 12-month average rate was, for the third month in a row, 3.0%.
