March 30 (Reuters) - Italian EU harmonised consumer prices (HICP) rose a preliminary 2.5 percent month-on-month in March, with annual inflation accelerating sharply to 1.1 percent from 0.5 percent in February, data showed on Friday.The HICP was well above the median forecast of +2.1 percent month-on-month, +0.8 percent year-on-year in a Reuters survey of 10 analysts.Official statistics agency ISTAT also reported that the main domestic price index (NIC), was up 0.4 percent on the month and up 0.9 percent annually, following a 0.5 percent annual rate in February.The much higher month-on-month reading for the HICP was due to the price rebound after New Year discount sales for clothes and footwear. The NIC does not include prices affected by temporary discounts.Core inflation (net of fresh food and energy) was running at 0.9 percent year-on-year the NIC index in March, up from 0.6 percent in February. No core inflation data is available or the HICP.
ISTAT gave the following preliminary breakdown:
The EU-harmonised index (HICP):
MARCHFEBJANMonthly change2.5 -0.5 -1.5Yr/yr inflation 1.10.51.2Index (base 2015=100) 102.6100.1100.6
The NIC index:Monthly change 0.40.00.3Yr-on-yr inflation0.90.50.9Index (base 2015=100) 101.9101.5101.5
ISTAT gave the following sector-by-sector breakdown for the HICP in March:
Sectorm/myr/yrFood0.9 1.3Alcoholic drinks, tobacco 1.7 2.8Clothing 29.8 0.3Housing, electricity, fuel0.0 2.5Domestic goods0.8 0.3Health spending 0.1 0.5Transport 0.7 1.8Communications0.7-1.5Recreation -0.5 1.0Education 0.0 -16.1Hotels, restaurants 0.6 1.4Other goods, services 0.9 1.6