PARIS, April 15 (Xinhua) -- France's Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 4.5 percent in March on an annual basis, reaching its highest since December 1985, statistics from the French National Institute of Statistics and Economics Studies (INSEE) showed on Friday.

       According to the INSEE, the sharp yearly increase of the CPI in March is due to an acceleration of prices for petroleum products, electricity, food products and services.

       Prices of petroleum products in March rose by 43.5 percent compared with February, due to the increase of prices for diesel, petrol and liquid fuels, said the institute.

       Energy prices, taken together, increased by 29.2 percent in March compared with the same period of 2021, the INSEE said.