The rise was largely driven by a rebound in energy costs. Prices of non-regulated energy products surged from a 2 per cent decline to a 9.9 per cent increase, while regulated energy prices rose 5.7 per cent after previously contracting, Istat said in a press release.

Italy’s inflation rose to 2.8 per cent YoY in April 2026 from 1.7 per cent in March, driven by a sharp rebound in energy prices, Istat said.
Monthly inflation stood at 1.2 per cent.
Goods inflation strengthened, while services inflation eased.
Transport costs increased notably.
The harmonised index (HICP) rose 2.9 per cent YoY, reflecting higher prices and seasonal factors.

In contrast, services inflation showed signs of moderation. Prices for recreation-related services eased to 2.6 per cent YoY, while transport services slowed sharply to 0.5 per cent. Overall services inflation decelerated to 2.4 per cent from 2.8 per cent in March.

Goods inflation, however, strengthened significantly, rising 3.2 per cent YoY compared with 0.8 per cent in the previous month. This narrowed the inflation gap between goods and services to -0.8 percentage points, down from +2 percentage points in March.

The monthly increase in the index was primarily led by higher prices for non-regulated energy (+5.7 per cent), transport services (+1.6 per cent), and recreation-related services (+1.4 per cent).

Among major consumption categories, water, electricity and fuels recorded a sharp 5.3 per cent annual increase, while transport prices rose 3.8 per cent.

Italy’s harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP), which allows comparison across the euro area, rose 2.9 per cent YoY in April, up from 1.6 per cent in March. On a monthly basis, HICP increased 1.7 per cent, partly reflecting the end of seasonal discounts in clothing and footwear.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)

The apparel climate story has moved out of the ESG report and into the cost sheet. In ****–****, climate risk is showing up as cotton quality loss, import dependence, energy volatility, cooling capex, carbon-price exposure and mandatory textile-waste fees. For brands and suppliers, the question is no longer whether climate action is ‘responsible’. It is whether delay will make product margins uncompetitive.

The latest data makes the shift visible. Textile Exchange says global fibre production reached *** million tonnes in **** and could hit *** million tonnes by **** if business continues as usual. Polyester alone now makes up ** per cent of global fibre output, with ** per cent still fossil-based. That scale gives apparel a low-cost material engine, but it also ties the sector to fossil energy, petrochemical volatility and future carbon accounting.

Caprolactam (CPL) prices initially held near $*.**–*.**/kg with minimal movement, while nylon chips saw uptick to ~$*.***/kg (+*.* per cent WoW) driven by short-term restocking. Nylon filament yarn (DTY **D/**F) prices remained stable at ~$*.**–*.**/kg, supported by existing inventory and steady downstream textile operations.

By the second week (April * to April **), benzene stabilised, but caprolactam began to weaken to ~$*.**–*.**/kg (−*.* per cent WoW), signalling the start of broader chain pressure. Nylon chips responded with a mild correction to ~$*.***/kg (−* per cent WoW), while filament yarn prices continued to hold steady due to inventory buffers and ongoing execution of prior textile orders. In the third week (Apr **–**), caprolactam stable to ~$*.*/kg, and chips followed to ~$*.***/kg (Stable WoW).