Russia CPI slows to 0.1 pct in latest week

MOSCOW, March 2 (Reuters) - Russia's consumer price inflation slowed to 0.1 percent in the week to Feb. 28, bringing the price increase for the month as a whole to 0.8 percent, the Federal Statistics Service said on Wednesday.

This brings inflation since the start of the year to 3.2 percent compared to 2.5 percent in the same period of 2010.

The latest data will likely be welcome by the central bank and the government, which have voiced increasing concern about inflation in recent weeks.

Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast February inflation at 0.9 percent. The monthly data, due to be released in coming days, is based on a broader basket of goods than the weekly figures so may differ a little from 0.8 percent. Keywords: RUSSIA CPI/WEEKLY (Moscow Newsroom, [phone], [e-mail]) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.