Swiss Producer and Import Prices - Economic Data Preview

Tumbling inflation is also to be noted in Switzerland where [B]Producer and Import Prices[/B] are expected to shrink at annual pace of -2.4% in March. The reading suggests continued downward pressure on consumer prices (the headline inflation gauge) after CPI slipped into negative territory for the first time in 5 years to print at -0.4% in the year to March. Weakening domestic conditions will add to external downward pressure on price growth: a survey of economists conducted by Bloomberg suggests that the economy will shrink -2.5% this year, the most since 1975, threatening to entrench deflation expectations. This stands to commit the mountain nation to a long-term stagnation as consumers and businesses perpetually put off spending and investment to wait for the best possible bargain. Although the central bank had previously committed to a very aggressively dovish stance including quantitative easing and currency market intervention, the latter part of the plan may now be off the table considering commitments made at the recent G20 summit in London.