SANTIAGO: Chilean consumer prices crept up 0.2% in February, boosted by increasing costs of transportation and housing in the world's top copper producer, the government statistics agency INE said on Monday.

A central bank poll of traders in February predicted inflation would come in slightly higher at 0.4% for the month.

Rolling, 12-month inflation rose to 2.8%, the agency said, hovering near the middle of the Central Bank's tolerance range of between 2.0 and 4.0%.

The government said fuels and lubricants for personal transportation vehicles had risen, as well as the price of gas and home rentals.

The cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages, meanwhile, had dropped in February, according to the data.