US inflation data due Tuesday - February CPI preview

Due at 1230GMT on Tuesday 12 March 2019 for the US, February CPI

A couple of quickie previews;

RBC:

• On the heels of three consecutive monthly declines, gasoline prices finally carved out a bottom and rebounded about 3% in February. This gain outpaces the seasonal norm and, accordingly, we have energy CPI rising 1.5% on the month. This should help headline CPI print about a 0.3% advance, leaving the y/y rate at 1.6%.
• There is nothing in the underlying detail that suggests core prices will deviate much from the recent 0.2% monthly advances. This would take the y/y rate there down slightly to 2.1% from 2.2%

Citi:

• The strong CPI reading from January means that another strong reading in February presents risk to the now-consensus view (which we share) that inflation will stay subdued. We project a 0.19% MoM core reading with potential upside risk from strong apparel prices but downside risk from a pull-back in used car prices.