Romania’s consumer price inflation eased slightly at the start of 2026, with the year-over-year Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate slipping to 9.6% in January from 9.7% in December 2025. The figures, updated on 16 February 2026, indicate a marginal cooling in price pressures but confirm that inflation remains elevated on an annual basis.
Both the current and previous readings reflect year-over-year comparisons, measuring price changes against the same month a year earlier. December’s 9.7% reading was based on prices relative to December of the previous year, while January’s 9.6% compares prices with January a year earlier. The small decline suggests that, although inflationary pressures may be stabilizing, they are still far above levels typically associated with price stability.
For policymakers and markets, the data will be a key input into assessments of Romania’s inflation trajectory in early 2026, as they weigh the persistence of high prices against the first signs of gradual easing in annual CPI growth.
