Italian deflation drops to 0.1% in February - update

(ANSA) - Rome, March 13 - Deflation in Italy fell in February, with the annual inflation rate moving to -0.1%, compared to -0.6 in January, national statistics agency Istat said. In its preliminary forecast, Istat had estimated that the annual inflation rate for February was -0.2%.
    The slowdown in deflation was largely due to a "sharp recovery" in vegetable prices, which were up 10.8% compared to a 1.7% drop in January, Istat said.
    Meanwhile Istat's annual index for the prices of everyday goods such as food and household items, the so-called 'trolley', was 0.7% up in February, after being flat in January.