Hungary: Inflation dips below Central Bank’s target band in February
Consumer prices rose 0.2% month-on-month in February, coming in below the 0.3% reading observed in January. February’s print reflected higher prices for food products, services, and alcoholic beverages and tobacco, which more than offset lower seasonal prices for clothing and footwear.
Inflation dropped from 2.1% in February to 1.9% in February. It now sits below the Central Bank’s target band range of 3.0% plus or minus 1.0 percentage point for the first time since June 2017. Annual average inflation inched down from 2.3% in January to 2.2% in February.
Core consumer prices, which exclude volatile items such as fresh food and fuel, rose from a flat reading in January to a 0.2% month-on-month increase in February. Lastly, core inflation edged down from January’s 2.5% to 2.4% in February.