INS: Inflation rate of 0.5 per cent in March

The inflation rate stood at 0.5 per cent in March, while the annual inflation rate (March 2008 - March 2009) climbed to 6.71 per cent, according to the data recently published by the National Statistics Institute (INS), Agerpres informs. According to the INS, the average monthly inflation rate stood at 0.9 per cent from January 1 to March 31, 2009, compared to a level of 0.7 per cent registered in the same period last year. Compared to February 2009, the prices of foodstuffs grew by 0.39 per cent; the prices of merchandise grew by 0.68 per cent, while the prices of services grew by 0.33 per cent. Compared to March 2008 the prices of foodstuffs grew by 5.69 per cent, the prices of services grew by 8.84 per cent, while the prices of merchandise grew by 6.69 per cent.

On the other hand, the volume of retail trade turnover (with the exception of trade with vehicles and motorcycles) registered in February 2009 dropped by 2.2 per cent as a gross series compared to January and by 4.4 per cent as a series adjusted to the number of working days and seasonality, the INS shows. The sales of merchandise have registered a drop of 6.5 per cent, while the sales of beverages and tobacco have dropped by 4.8 per cent. The volume of turnover for bulk and retail trade, for the maintenance and repair of vehicles and motorcycles have dropped by 7.3 per cent in February 2009 compared to the level registered the month before, as a series adjusted to the number of working days and seasonality.

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