2019.01.1809:36:00UTC+00Swiss Producer And Import Price Inflation Lowest In 16 Months

Switzerland's producer and import prices grew at the weakest pace in sixteen months in December, figures from the Federal Statistical Office showed on Friday.

Producer and import prices gained 0.6 percent year-on-year in December following a 1.4 percent rise in November. Economists had forecast a rise of 1.0 percent.

The latest producer and import price inflation was the lowest since August 2017, when inflation was the same 0.6 percent.

Data showed that producer prices edged up 0.4 percent and import prices grew 0.9 percent.

On a monthly basis, producer and import prices fell 0.6 percent from 0.3 percent in November after a 0.2 percent increase in the previous month. Economists had expected a 0.1 percent decline.

In 2018, the average annual producer and import price inflation was 2.4 percent versus 0.9 percent in 2017. Prices rose for a second year in a row.