Moldova's consumer prices rose by 25.91% year-on-year in February, compared to an increase of 27.31% in the previous month, the statistical office said on Friday.
The cost of services coupled with food prices were the main inflation drivers, soaring by an annual 39.99% and 26.47%, respectively, the National Bureau of Statistics, BNS, said in a statement.
Prices of non-food products rose 16.31% on the year in February.
On a monthly comparison basis, Moldova's consumer prices inched up by 0.95% in February. Food prices rose 1.11%, while non-food prices inched up by a monthly 0.33%, contributing to the increase in average consumer prices with 0.41 and 0.13 percentage points, respectively. Consumer prices in the services sector were up by 1.7% month-on-month, accounting for a 0.41 percentage-point increase in average consumer prices.
On February 7, Moldova's central bank decided to lower its base rate to 17% from 20% to ensure the continuity of stimulus measures in the context of the easing of monetary policy started at the end of 2022 to support the creation of a disinflationary macroeconomic framework.
(1 euro=19.8477 lei)