French annual inflation rate above forecast in April

(Reuters) -French consumer prices have risen more than anticipated in April as a further fall in energy prices was partly offset by the rise in food prices, preliminary data from statistics agency INSEE showed on Wednesday.

France's harmonized inflation rate, adjusted for comparison with other euro zone countries, increased 0.8% year-on-year in April.

A Reuters poll of 21 analysts had on average expected a rate of 0.7% with estimates ranging from 0.5% to 1.0%.

INSEE also said that prices for services and manufactured goods rose at the same rate as last month.

Separately, the statistics agency reported on Wednesday that consumer spending for France in March was below forecasts, falling 1.0% while economists surveyed by Reuters had expected it to be stable at 0.0%.

(Reporting by Olivier Cherfan in Gdansk; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Hugh Lawson)

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