Inflation 8.8 per cent in February 2023

Release related to topics:Prices and consumption Energy

release 14/03/2023 | Consumer price index 2023, February

Correction

The error in the calculation of the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices at Constant Taxes was corrected

Inflation indicators in Finland, February 2023

	Point figure	Annual change (%)	Monthly change (%)
Consumer Price Index 2015=100	119.0	8.8	0.8
Cost-of-living Index 1951:10=100	2268
Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices 2015=100	118.5	7.9	0.6
Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices at Constant Taxes 2015=100	117.2	8.4	0.7

The table depicts the point figures for all Statistics Finland's published series.

Key selections

Consumer prices were raised most in February by increases in the prices of electricity and increases in average interest rate on housing loans and consumer credits from one year ago.
The rising of consumer prices from one year back was curbed most by reductions in the prices of non-refundable prescription medicines and real estates.
The month-on-month change of consumer prices was 0.8 per cent, which was caused by increases in average interest rate on housing loans, for example.

According to preliminary data, inflation in the euro area was 8.5 per cent in February 2023

According to the preliminary data on the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), the rate of inflation in the euro area was 8.5 per cent in February. In January, it stood at 8.6 per cent. The corresponding figure for Finland was 7.9 per cent in February.

The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices does not include owner-occupancy, games of chance, interests on consumption and other credits, fire insurance on owner-occupied dwellings, the vehicle tax or fishing and hunting fees. The consumption items included in the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, as well as the rules governing its compilation, have been defined in EU regulations.

Eurostat’s estimate of inflation in the euro area is based on preliminary data from the Member States and on the price development of energy. Eurostat will publish detailed data on Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices for February on 17 March.

The year-on-year change in the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices at Constant Taxes was 8.4 per cent in February 2023

The year-on-year change in the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) stood at 7.9 per cent in February and that in the Index at Constant Taxes (HICP-CT) measuring market inflation at 8.4 per cent. Over twelve months, the combined raising impact on consumer prices from changes in commodity tax rates was thus -0.5 percentage points. The month-on-month change in the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices was 0.6 per cent and that in the Index at Constant Taxes 0.7 per cent in February.

In the Index at Constant Taxes, the impact on inflation from changes in the value added tax and other commodity taxes has been eliminated by keeping the taxes constant relative to the index base period. The Index measures market inflation or the change in prices caused by reasons other than changes in commodity taxes. The price impact of the tax changes is obtained by comparing the development of the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices and the Index at Constant Taxes.