Australia’s inflation pressures have intensified, with the Monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) indicator rising to 4.60% year-over-year in March 2026, up from 3.70% in February. The latest data, updated on 29 April 2026, show a clear reacceleration in price growth when comparing March 2026 to March 2025.
The February reading represented a 3.70% increase versus February a year earlier, but March’s outcome signals a renewed pickup in inflation momentum when measured against the same month a year ago. This year-over-year comparison framework underscores that, despite earlier signs of moderation, underlying price pressures in the Australian economy remain elevated and are once again moving higher on an annual basis.
The jump in the March CPI indicator is likely to sharpen attention on Australia’s inflation trajectory and its implications for households, businesses, and policymakers, as markets reassess how durable any prior disinflation trend may have been in the first quarter of 2026.