Germany’s January Import Price Index -1.2% m/m (expected -1.5%; last -1.6%); 6.6% yr/yr (last 12.6%)
France’s Q4 GDP 0.1% qtr/qtr, as expected (last 0.1%); 0.5% yr/yr (last 1.0%). January Consumer Spending 1.5% m/m (expected 0.4%; last -1.6%). February CPI 0.9% m/m (expected 0.7%; last 0.4%); 6.2% yr/yr (expected 6.1%; last 6.0%). January PPI 2.7% m/m (last 1.2%)
Italy’s December Industrial Sales 0.7% m/m (last 0.9%); 14.9% yr/yr (last 11.4%). January non-EU trade deficit EUR1.36 bln (last surplus of EUR4.08 bln)
Spain’s February CPI 1.0% m/m (expected 0.0%; last -0.2%); 6.1% yr/yr (expected 5.9%; last 5.9%)
France and Spain reported hotter than expected flash CPI readings for February, keeping the inflation conversation at the forefront.
European Central Bank policymaker Vujcic said that rates are about to enter restrictive territory and that it is correct to expect a 50-bps rate hike in March while ECB Chief Economist Lane also said that there is a solid case for a 50-bps hike in March.