Romania’s annual inflation rate picked up to 9.9% in March 2026 from 9.3% in the previous month, but came below market expectations of 10.4%. This marked the highest level since September 2025, driven mainly by stronger price pressures in non-food goods (10.89% vs 9.41% in February), largely due to a sharp increase in fuel costs (12.93% vs 4.19%). In contrast, inflation eased slightly in services (11.05% vs 11.37%) and food products (7.67% vs 7.89%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices grew by 0.78% in March, accelerating from a 0.59% increase in the preceding period. Meanwhile, the HICP-based annual inflation rate rose to 9.0% in March from 8.3% in the prior period.