Italian inflation 6.5% in March, Up from 5.7% in February, Says ISTAT

Italian inflation was 6.5% in March, up from 5.7% in February, national statistics agency ISTAT said Friday.

This was 0.2 percentage points on its preliminary estimate of 6.7%, issued two weeks ago. Catania showed the biggest price rise, at 8%, followed by Bolzano (7.8%) and Messina (7.7%), while the most contained variations were seen in Turin (5.6%) and Reggio Emilia (5.3%).

Farm group Coldiretti said almost one in two Italians, 49%, were cutting spending on the ‘trolley’ of most frequently bought household essentials. Italian households are enduring a spending crunch as the cost of living spirals.