HELSINKI (AFP) - Finnish consumer prices rose 0.6 percent versus a year ago in March, with rising liquid fuel prices in particular accelerating inflation, official figures showed Wednesday.

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"Inflation was accelerated above all by risen prices of liquid fuels and (a) slower fall in interest rates," Statistics Finland said in a statement.

From February to March, consumer prices rose 0.5 percent, also boosted by higher liquid fuel prices and the end of clothes sales, it said.

In February, consumer prices rose 0.1 percent on a 12-month basis, cutting a fall in inflation since June 2009. For 2009 as a whole, Finnish consumer prices were flat.

When calculated according to the harmonised European Union index, Finnish prices rose by 1.5 percent in March over 12 months, the statistics office said.