According to the provisional estimate made at the end of February, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) should barely slacken (+1.2% year on year) after a sharp acceleration in January (+1.3% after +0.6% in December). This slight slowdown is expected to be the result of a sharp decline in manufactured products prices, largely offset by an acceleration in the prices of tobacco and energy and a more moderate one for food and services prices.

Over one month, consumer prices should pick up slightly : +0.1% after −0,2% in the previous month. This slight rise should come from a rebound in services prices and an increase in tobacco prices. Food prices are set to slown down sligtly due to fresh food. Winter sales having continued in February, manufactured products prices should fall again, thus mitigating the overall rebound. Finally, energy prices should stabilise after five months of sustained increase.