Compared with February of 2016, prices went up faster for food and non-alcoholic beverages (8.7 percent from 7.6 percent in January). Additional upward pressure came from: housing and utilities (8.7 percent from 9.5 percent); alcoholic beverages and tobacco (5.2 percent from 5. Percent); restaurants and hotels (3.9 percent, the same as in January); furnishing equipment and maintenance of the house (3.8 percent from 3.3 percent) and clothing and footwear (3.2 percent from 3.4 percent).
Annual core inflation, which excludes food and energy, increased 2.2 percent compared to 2.3 percent in January of 2016.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices advanced 1 percent, following a 0.8 percent gain in the previous month. Cost of food increased faster (2.3 percent from 1.6 percent), namely for rice (+4 percent), maize grains (+12.2 percent), maize flour (+10.1 percent), cooking banana (+9.5 percent) and beans (+6.7percent).