France's CPI confirmed up by 0.8 pct in February: INSEE

PARIS, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) confirmed on Friday that France's consumer price index (CPI) rose only by 0.8 percent year-on-year in February, marking its lowest increase since February 2021.

"The consumer prices went up by 0.8 percent in February 2025, after 1.7 percent in January. For the first time since February 2021, the year-on-year change is below 1 percent," INSEE said in its final report.

According to INSEE, the fall in prices of energy over the year contributed greatly to the low CPI growth.

"Year on year, prices of energy fell by 5.8 percent in February 2025, after +2.7 percent in January," INSEE noted, adding that the downturn is primarily due to the fall in the prices of electricity, caused by a 15 percent average fall in regulated tariffs.

The institute added that the prices of petroleum products also fell at a faster rate.

Speaking to France Inter radio on Friday morning, governor of France's central bank, Francois Villeroy de Galhau, said that the "victory" against inflation is assured in France and underway in Europe.

"Our forecasts confirm it, inflation has returned to around 1 percent in France and will return to around 2 percent on average in Europe," he said.

He added that prices increasing less quickly than wages would fuel French household consumption. ■