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Swiss Inflation Slows Less Than Expected Before SNB Meeting
Swiss inflation eased less than anticipated in February, a development that might mute speculation about the central bank lowering interest rates earlier than expected. Consumer prices rose 1.2% from a year ago, the Swiss statistics office said Monday. While that’s just off the 1.1% median prediction in a Bloomberg survey, it’s down from 1.3% in January and also much less than the Swiss National Bank’s estimate for the first quarter. The so-called core gauge, which strips out volatile elements like energy and food, slowed to 1.1%. The drop comes amid mounting speculation that the central bank might accelerate ... (full story)