02.04.201908:45:00UTC+00Swiss Inflation Rises In March

Switzerland's consumer price inflation rose in March after remaining unchanged in the previous month, figures from the Federal Statistical Office showed on Tuesday.

The consumer price index rose 0.7 percent year-on-year in March, following a 0.6 percent rise in each of the previous two months. Economists had expected the inflation rate to ease to 0.5 percent.

Compared to the previous month, consumer prices rose 0.5 percent in March, after a 0.4 percent increase in February. Economists had expected the monthly inflation to remain at 0.4 percent. In December, prices fell 0.3 percent.

The monthly increase of 0.5 percent was mainly due to several factors including rise in prices for package holidays abroad and in air transport, while the prices for fruit vegetables and berries declined.

The core inflation which excludes fresh and seasonal products, energy and fuel rose 0.5 percent annually and by the same rate from a month ago.

The EU measure of harmonized index of consumer price, or HICP, rose 0.7 percent year-on-year in March and grew 0.3 percent from the previous month.