Italy's Inflation Rate Jumps in March

According to the preliminary report released by the National Statistics Office (INE) on Monday, Italy's annual inflation rate rose to 2% in March, marking a significant increase from the previous month's 1.6%.

Key Drivers Behind the Inflation Surge

The report attributes the acceleration in consumer price growth primarily to higher prices of non-regulated energy products, with additional contributions from tobacco, unprocessed food, and services related to communication and recreation. Conversely, there was a noted moderation in the prices of regulated energy products and transport-related services during the same period.

Core Inflation and HICP Insights

Annual core inflation, which excludes energy and unprocessed food, remained steady at 1.7%, while inflation excluding energy slightly increased to 1.8%. The harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) saw a 1.6% month-over-month increase, largely influenced by the conclusion of winter sales on clothing and footwear.