THE VIVID INDEX
May 2004
Romania's inflation rate rose by 1.6 per cent in March, up from 1.2 per cent in February, according to our ten item basket of everyday goods and services. The price of Carpati, the state produced Romanian cigarette brand was the most inflationary item, rising by 16 per cent, while the price of bananas rose by 11 per cent. On a yearly basis Romania 's twelve-month inflation rose to 16.1 per cent, up from the 14.7 per cent February figure.
| Price | ||||
| Item | April 1999 | Year ago | March | April |
| Salami de Sibiu (1 kg, Mega Image) | 92,000 | 320,700 | 335,000 | 335,000 |
| Bananas (1 kg, Piata Amzei) | 18,000 | 45,000 | 45,000 | 50,000 |
| Unleaded petrol ( 1 litre, Agip) | 7,800 | 23,500 | 24,900 | 24,900 |
| Rail ticket (Bucharest-Brasov, Rapid, first class) | 70,000 | 272,000 | 306,000 | 306,000 |
| Coca Cola (330 ml, Mega Image) | 4,800 | 13,700 | 18,400 | 18,400 |
| 1 Libertatea | 1,700 | 3,500 | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| 1 Big Mac | 18,000 | 55,000 | 59,000 | 59,000 |
| 1 Egg (Piata Amzei) | 1,000 | 2,600 | 4,200 | 3,700 |
| Cigarettes (Carpati, Ion Slatineanu shop) | 4,000 | 10,500 | 15,000 | 17,500 |
| Int. telephone call (1 min., daytime, Europe) | 8,900 | 17,400 | 10,804 | 11,007 |
Monthly nominal change in prices, March 2004:
1.6 per cent (February was 1.2 per cent)
March 2004 government figure: 0.5 per cent (0.6 per cent)
Vivid Index, year-on-year: 16.1 per cent (14.7 per cent)
Government figure, year-on-year: 13.6 per cent (13.9 per cent)
2003 inflation: 14.1 per cent
2002 inflation: 17.8 per cent
2004 target: 9.0 per cent