MADRID (AFX) - Consumer prices rose 0.3 pct in February from January, and were up 3.8 pct from a year earlier, the National Statistics Institute (INE) said.
In January, consumer prices were unchanged from the previous month, but up 3.7 pct from a year earlier.
Analysts had forecast consumer prices to rise 0.0-0.2 pct from January, and to be 3.5-3.7 pct above the year earlier level. INE said underlying inflation -- excluding food and energy product prices -- rose 0.4 pct in January from December, and was up 3.2 pct from a year earlier.