BRUSSELS (AFX) - The euro zone's February harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) rose 0.6 pct from January and was up 2.6 pct year-on-year compared with an annual rise of 2.4 pct in January and 2.0 pct in February 2000, the EU's statistics office Eurostat said.
In the EU, HICP rose 0.5 pct from January, and was up 2.3 pct year-on-year, against an annual rise of 2.2 pct in January and of 1.9 pct in February 2000.
Excluding energy, the euro zone's HICP rose 0.4 pct in the month and 2.0 pct year-on-year.
Excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, the euro zone's HICP rose 0.4 pct in the month and 1.7 pct year-on-year, it said.
In the euro zone, the energy index rose 1.4 pct in the month and 8.3 pct year-on-year.
The food, alcohol and tobacco index rose 0.6 pct in the month and 3.1 pct year-on-year.
Amongst the euro zone's HICP's sub-indices, the communications sub-index fell most on a monthly basis (-0.5 pct) while the transport and culture sub-indices rose most (+0.9 pct).
On an annual basis, the communications sub-index fell most (-4.3 pct) while the housing sub-index rose most (+4.8 pct).
The Netherlands and Portugal posted the euro zone's highest annual HICP in February at 4.9 pct, followed by Spain at 4.0 pct, Greece at 3.5 pct, Luxembourg at 2.9 pct, Finland and Italy both at 2.7 pct. France posted the EU's lowest annual HICP rate in February at 1.4 pct, followed by Sweden at 1.5 pct, Austria at 1.8 pct, Denmark at 2.3 pct, Belgium and Germany both at 2.5 pct.
The French, Austrian, Italian and Dutch February HICP figures are still provisional, Eurostat noted.
No figures were provided by the UK or Ireland.