PORTUGUESE CONSUMER PRICES UP 1.4 PCT IN MARCH
Portugal's consumer prices rose 1.4 pct
in March after a one pct increase in February and a 1.2 pct
rise in March 1986, the National Statistics Institute said.
    The consumer price index (base 100 for 1976) rose to 772.0
from 761.3 in February and compared with 703.4 in March 1986.
    This gave a year-on-year March inflation rate of 9.8 pct
against 9.5 pct in February and 12.2 pct in March 1986.
    Measured as an annual average rate, inflation in March was
10.9 pct compared with 11.1 pct in February. The government
forecasts annual inflation of about eight pct this year.
 REUTER
