Inflation pressures in the euro area showed a modest easing in February, as the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices excluding energy and food (HICP ex Energy and Food) slowed on a month-over-month basis. The indicator came in at 0.6% in February 2026, down from 0.7% in the previous month’s comparable measure.
Both the previous and current readings relate to February 2026, but each describes a different monthly comparison. The earlier 0.7% figure captured the change between January and February, while the latest 0.6% reading reflects the newly updated assessment of February’s change against the prior month. The data, updated on 18 March 2026, indicate a slight cooling in underlying price momentum once volatile energy and food components are stripped out, suggesting a softer core inflation pulse on a month-to-month basis within the euro zone.
