The Consumer Price Index (CPI), a measure of inflation in the UK, rose to 2.8% year-on-year in February, according to data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) this morning, compared to 3% in January, exceeding expectations of 3%.
On a monthly basis, the CPI rose by 0.4% in February, compared to a rise of approximately 0.6% in February.
The core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, rose to 3.5% in February from 3.7%, below analysts’ expectations of 3.6%.
The largest contributor to the decline in inflation in February came from the housing and household services sector.