• Swedish investors hike inflation outlook

The inflation rate was 2.5 percent in February, the same as in January, the statistics office said Thursday. Consumer prices increased by 0.6 percent from January to February.

Higher costs for housing (0.6 percent), mainly due to higher interest costs (2.9 percent), contributed by 0.2 percentage points to the increase of CPI since last month. Increased prices for food (0.9 percent), furnishings and household goods (1.2 percent), international flights (17.5 percent) and package holidays (4.1 percent) contributed by 0.1 percentage points respectively.

Prices in Sweden are expected to increase as as the impact of higher food and energy prices trickles through the economy, according to a survey by TNS Prospera commissioned by the Stockholm-based central bank.