The annual inflation rate has slightly decreased to 3.3% in December 2018, down from 3.4% in the previous month, the National Statistics Institute (INS) informs.
Thus, the indicator is below the forecast of the National Bank of Romania (BNR) for 2018, of 3.5%.
In December 2018, as compared to December 2017, the foodstuff prices increased by 3.1%, the prices of non-food goods by 3.75% and of the services by 2.44%, the same source informs.
Gas prices are higher by 16.61% and postal services prices by 21.54%.
The annual rate calculated on the basis of the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) is 3%, according to INS.
The average inflation rate over the previous 12 months (January 2018 – December 2018) over the previous 12 months (January 2017 – December 2017), based on the CPI, is of 4.6%. Determined on the basis of HICP, the average rate is 4.1%.
Although it recorded a significant fall in November this year, from 4.3% in October to 3.4%, the annual inflation rate in Romania remained the highest in the European Union.