In Switzerland, the weak rate of inflation isn’t solely due to a collapse in the price of oil. The strong franc is an aggravating factor, because it makes imports cheaper. Last year, domestic prices nudged up slightly, while the price of imports tumbled. In addition to fuel costs, the price of automobiles, medicines, household goods and technical products fell. That resulted in Switzerland’s 2015 inflation rate posting the worst annual result in more than six decades. 2016 doesn’t look much better: The Swiss National Bank on Thursday cut its forecast to minus 0.8 percent. That would be the second-weakest reading since 1950.