Swiss Annual Inflation Accelerates to Two-year High in September; August Retail Sales Beat Forecasts

05:53 AM EDT, 10/01/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Switzerland's annual consumer inflation picked up as expected in September, while August retail sales topped estimates, data from the country's Federal Statistical Office showed Thursday. The country's annual inflation rate rose to 1% from 0.8% in the previous month, marking the highest reading since September 2024. Meanwhile, annual core inflation, which excludes volatile items such as fresh and seasonal products, energy, and fuel, stood at 0.5%, compared with the previous month's 0.4%. On a monthly basis, consumer prices were unchanged, matching expectations, against the prior month's 0.4% gain. "The stability of the index compared with the previous month was the result of contrasting trends that offset one another overall. Prices for heating oil, petrol and diesel increased. In contrast, prices for international package holidays, car rentals and car sharing decreased, as did those for hotels and parahotel accommodation," the FSO said. In a separate same-day release, the country's seasonally adjusted retail sales edged up 0.4% month on month in real terms in August, following a 0.1% gain in July. Year over year, real calendar-adjusted retail sales climbed 3.2%, above the revised 2.6% jump previously and the market forecast of a 2.1% increase.