• Philippine inflation this month likely to settle within the range of 2.8% to 3.6%, compared with the 2.8% rate in January, central bank says.
• Continued price increases for key food items, such as rice, meat, and fish, along with increased petroleum prices and electricity rates are the primary sources of upward price pressures for February, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas says in a statement
• Lower prices of vegetables, fruits, and sugar could contribute to downward price pressures, it says
• “Going forward, the BSP will continue to monitor developments affecting the outlook for inflation and growth in line with its data-dependent approach to monetary policy decision- making,” central bank says