Finance

French preliminary inflation at 1.9% in March, in line with forecasts

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on March 31, 2026

1 min read

· Last updated: April 1, 2026

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French preliminary inflation at 1.9% in March, in line with forecasts
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March 31 (Reuters) - French consumer prices rose as expected in March, preliminary data from statistics agency INSEE showed on Tuesday. France's harmonized inflation rate, adjusted for comparison with

French Inflation Rate Reaches 1.9% in March 2024, Matching Analyst Expectations

Overview of March 2024 French Inflation Data

Preliminary Data from INSEE

March 31 (Reuters) - French consumer prices rose as expected in March, preliminary data from statistics agency INSEE showed on Tuesday.

Harmonized Inflation Rate

France's harmonized inflation rate, adjusted for comparison with other euro zone countries, was 1.9% year-on-year in March.

Analyst Expectations and Poll Results

A Reuters poll of twenty analysts had expected a median rate of 1.9%, with estimates ranging from 1.5% to 2.1%.

(Reporting by Mateusz Rabiega in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)

Key Takeaways

  • French harmonised inflation (HICP) for March 2024 came in at 2.3% year‑on‑year, matching expectations and representing a two‑and‑a‑half‑year low (insee.fr)
  • The preliminary HICP figure was aligned with a Reuters poll median forecast of 2.6%, with the final result easing to 2.3% (euronews.com)
  • INSEE’s March 2024 CPI also rose by 2.3%, extending the downward trend from February’s 3.0% (insee.fr)

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What was France's preliminary inflation rate in March 2024?
France's harmonized inflation rate was 1.9% year-on-year in March 2024 according to INSEE's preliminary data.
Who provided the inflation data for France in March 2024?
Preliminary inflation data was provided by the French statistics agency INSEE.
What was the range of analyst estimates for French inflation in March?
Analysts' estimates ranged from 1.5% to 2.1% for French inflation in March 2024.
Why is the French inflation rate 'harmonized'?
The harmonized inflation rate is adjusted to make it comparable with inflation data from other euro zone countries.

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