France: consumer prices fell by 0.4% over one month and rose by 1.2% year on year

According to the report from Insee, In January 2019, the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) fell back by 0.4% over a month, after a stability in December. The prices of manufactured products sharply dropped, due to the beginning of winter sales (−2.1% after −0.2%) and those of services slowed down (+0.2% after +0.4%). Food prices were also a little less dynamic than in the previous month (+0.5% after +0.6%). Contrariwise, energy prices dropped less sharply than in December (−1.2% after −2.4%), in the wake of petroleum prices. At least, tobacco prices rose by 0.8% after a stability in December.

Seasonally adjusted, consumer prices recovered by 0.2% over a month, after a 0.1% drop in December.

Year on year, consumer prices slowed down for the third consecutive month: +1.2% in January after +1.6% in December. This drop in inflation came from a year-on-year slowdown in energy. Contrariwise, services, food and tobacco prices accelerated. At least, those in manufactured products fell barely less than in the previous month.

Year on year, core inflation was unchanged: +0.7%, as in the two previous months. The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) edged down over a month (?0.6% after +0.1% in December); year on year, it grew by 1.4%, after +1.9% in the previous month.