Government statistics.

For the annual rate of inflation dropped by 0.2 per cent in the second month of the year compared to January.

And the average cost of goods and services fell by 0.1 per cent, while the all-items index moved down from 105 points to 104.9.

Across the nine yardsticks used by Government, only rent and household goods, services and supplies rose -- but by only 0.1 per cent.

Three of the indicators fell and four remained unchanged over January and February.

Drops were logged in food, fuel and power and transport and vehicles, while clothing and footwear, tobacco and liquor, education, recreation and reading and health and personal care.

The fuel and power index dropped by 1.5 per cent -- partly due to a 6.6 per cent drop in the fuel adjustment clause, which led to a 0.9 per cent drop in the cost of electricity and a 7.4 per cent fall in the per cylinder price of cooking gas.

But compared to the same period last year, the all items index rose by 2.2 per cent month on month and all other sectors logged increases of between 0.3 per cent and 4.7 per cent.