Inflation climbs to 8.8% in February

The year-on-year change in consumer prices was 8.8 per cent in February, according to Statistics Finland.

In January, inflation stood at 8.4 per cent. The acceleration of inflation from January to February was caused by increases in average interest rate on housing loans and higher prices of district heat, for example.

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.