The annual inflation rate in Austria rose to 3.1% in March 2026 from 2.2% in the previous month, according to preliminary estimates. “This marks a return to the levels seen in the first half of 2025, following a rate of 2.2% in February 2026. The 0.9 percentage point rise is almost entirely attributable to price surges in fuel and heating oil. In February, energy prices had fallen by 4.1% year-on-year, but in March energy prices rose by 6.1%. However, the main driver of inflation remained services, which became 4.5% more expensive in March, following a 4.0% price increase in February,” according to Manuela Lenk, Director General Statistics at Statistics Austria. On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased by 1.1% in March, marking the sharpest rise since September 2022, following a 0.8% gain in the preceding period.