• Prior +1.0%
• HICP +1.6% vs +1.1% y/y expected
• Prior +1.0%

Slight delay in the release by the source. That’s a sharp increase in price pressures and one that is also reflected in core prices. Of note, core annual inflation shows an increase from 1.7% in January to 2.4% in February. That as services inflation accelerated on the month from 2.5% previously to 3.6% last month.

The overall Eurozone CPI estimates here are what will matter more for markets, and they’re also running hotter than expected. It’s a bit untimely for the ECB amid the US-Iran conflict. That now shifts the narrative away from rate cuts and opens the door in asking the question of perhaps the central bank needing to think about rate hikes instead.