Annual inflation rates below the analysts' expectations

The annual rate of inflation in Romania fall in February to 4.49% from 5.20% recorded i January, after consumption prices went up 0.20% against the previous month, according to the Romanian National Statistics Agency (INS). Economists estimated the annual inflation to 4.6% in February, based on a 0.3% increase in consumerist prices.

Consumerist prices went up 0.2% in February against the previous month because food and non-food prices became 0.24% ore expensive, while services didn't change tariffs. The increase in food prices was triggered by the more expensive vegetables and vegetable cans (+1.69%), eggs (+96%) beans and other vegetables (0.87%). Potatoes and fresh fish dropped in price, -0.33% and -0.04% respectively.

When it comes to non-food goods, the most important increases in prices were applied to heating (up 1.83%), books, newspapers, magazines (+1.35%) and tobacco and cigarettes (up 0.60%). Meanwhile cars and spares dropped in price by 0.15%.

The services that now cost more are urban transport (up 1.39%), water, sewage, sanitation (+ 0.44%) and inter-city road transport, up 0.34%. At the same time, telecoms are 0.68% cheaper and air transport costs 0.67% less. The Romanian central Bank (BNR) aims a 3.5% inflation rate this year, plus/minus one percentage, but forecasts that the inflation will read 4.5% by the end of the year.