The annual inflation rate in Italy rose to 3.3% in August 2026 from 2.9% in July, confirming the preliminary estimate and marking the highest reading since September 2023. The main upward contribution came from higher energy prices, with regulated energy inflation rising to 18.6% from 14.8% and non-regulated energy inflation increasing to 17.0% from 11.4%, as ongoing tensions in the Middle East continued to fuel inflationary pressures. Meanwhile, inflation for durable goods accelerated to 1.3% from 0.7%, while unprocessed food inflation rose to 3.8% from 3.6%. In contrast, inflation eased for recreational, cultural and personal care services (2.6% vs 3%), and transport services (0.8% vs 1.6%). Core inflation, excluding energy and fresh food, edged down to 1.5% from 1.6%. Monthly, the CPI rose 0.5%, following a 0.3% gain in July. The HICP inflation accelerated to 3.2% year-on-year from 2.9% in July, confirming the preliminary estimate, while rising 0.1% month-on-month.