Lisbon, Sept. 30, 2026 (Lusa) - The inflation rate rose to 3.6% in September, year-on-year, up from 3.3% in the previous month, driven again by fuel prices, according to the flash estimate released today by Statistics Portugal (INE).

«Based on the data already compiled, the year-on-year rate of change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is estimated to have risen to 3.6% in September 2026, 0.3 percentage points higher than the rate observed in the previous month,» the INE reported.

According to the statistics institute, «the acceleration in the CPI is largely explained by the rise in fuel prices».

The core inflation indicator (the total index excluding unprocessed food and energy) is estimated to have recorded a year-on-year rate of change of 2.7% in September, up 0.1 percentage points from August.

In the month under review, the rate of change in the index for energy products rose to 15.4%, up from 12.2% in August, whilst the index for unprocessed food products accelerated from 3.4% to 3.6%.

Compared with the previous month, the CPI is estimated to have risen to 1.2% in September (zero in August and 0.9% in September 2025), with an estimated average change over the last 12 months of 2.8% (2.7% in the previous month).

The Portuguese Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), which allows for better comparison with other countries, is estimated to have recorded a year-on-year change of 3.6%, the same as in August.

INE will publish the final September CPI figures on 13 October.

PD/ADB // ADB.

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