MADRID, 14 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in France moderated last March to 5.7% in the interannual rate, after the 6.3% increase in the previous month, which represents the lower increase in the cost of life in the French country since September 2022, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee).

In the case of harmonized inflation, used by Eurostat in its statistics, the interannual rate in France in March moderated to 6.7% from 7.3% in the previous month.

The slowdown in the year-on-year rate of inflation in the second largest economy in the Euro zone reflected the substantial decrease in the rate of increase in energy prices (4.9% compared to 14.1%).

In turn, the prices of manufactured goods rose by 4.8%, compared to the 4.7% of the previous month, while services became more expensive by 2.9%, one tenth less than in February.

However, food prices accelerated their year-on-year rise in March, with a rise of 15.9%, compared to 14.8% in the previous month, while the price of tobacco increased by 7.8% after the rise in 0.2% in the previous month.

Excluding food and energy price volatility from the calculation, France's core inflation rate hit a new high in March, rising to 6.2% from 6.1% year-on-year in February.