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Still, year-on-year inflation last month accelearted slightly to 3.6 percent after January's 3.5 percent. Average annual inflation clocked 3.7 percent, after 3.6 percent in January. Inflation was pushed higher in February from the preceding month by a rise in transport costs while clothing and footwear prices fell. In the annual comparison, tax hikes introduced as part of the government's drive to raise revenues under a 78-billion-euro bailout, contributed to an inflation rise. Analysts surveyed by Reuters had expected a month-on-month consumer price index shift between zero and a rise of 0.2 percent.