Portugal consumer prices jump in March with end of sales

LISBON (Reuters) - Portuguese consumer prices rose 1.9 percent in March after dipping 0.1 percent in February, as clothing and footwear prices jumped after the end of seasonal discounts and transport costs rose with higher oil prices, the National Statistics Institute said on Monday.

Consumer prices in March rose 0.3 percent year-on-year compared with a decline of 0.2 percent in February.

Average inflation in the 12 months to March was minus 0.3 percent, the same as in February.

Portugal had registered negative inflation for several months as falling oil prices began to impact the economy at the end of last year. A jump in inflation in March is normal as Christmas sales come to an end.

(Reporting By Axel Bugge)