Romania’s inflation drops to 7.2% in February

February's fall in inflation was smaller than expected, increasing uncertainty about future rate cuts.

North Macedonia’s central bank maintains key rate at 6.3%

Domestic inflation decelerated to an annual rate of 3% in February, as pressures from food and energy prices decreased.

Moldova’s inflation remains moderate in February

Inflation has been in the lower half of the 5%+/-1pp target band for three months.

Czech inflation slowed down to 2% y/y in February

Slovak industrial production grew by 3.6% y/y in January

The strongest negative influence came from a 6.2% decrease in the country’s decisive sector, the manufacture of transport equipment.

Hungary CPI slows to 18-month low in February

Hungary's inflation slowed to 3.7% in February, down from 3.8% in the previous month.

Construction, ICT and agriculture push Romania’s GDP growth to 2.1% in 2023

Romania’s economy advanced by 1.1% y/y in the last quarter of 2023 and by 2.1% y/y in the full year.

Hungary’ records extreme budget shortfall in February

Hungary's cash flow-based general government deficit reached HUF1.7 trillion (€4.3bn) at the end of February, which accounts for roughly 70% of the HUF2.5 trillion full-year target.

Czech unemployment remains at 4% in February

The Czech unemployment rate remained at 4% in February, unchanged month-on-month. In year-on-year terms, it increased by 0.1%.

BOFIT: Russian population in decline

At the end of last year, Russia has 146.2mn people living permanently in the country. Excluding the Crimea, illegally annexed in 2014, Russia’s 2023 population was about 144 mn. Russia’s population peaked in 1993 at 149 mn and is now declining.

National Bank of Serbia maintains policy rate at 6.5%

The decision to maintain the reference interest rate was primarily influenced by the global economic landscape, characterised by declining but still elevated inflationary pressures.

Poll shows Bulgarians have turned against Putin

Bulgaria took a strong pro-Western turn after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Romania’s retail sales post impressive 6.6% y/y advance in January

Private consumption is expected to be a major growth driver in Romania this year and the January figures are fully consistent with this.

Decline in Kazakhstan services PMI deepens in February

Weak underlying demand trends and poor weather conditions hit activity.

Turkey’s official headline inflation moves up to 15-month high of 67% in February

Central bank watching for lagged effects of rate hikes that have taken benchmark to 45%.

Kazakhstan manufacturing PMI deteriorates in February despite growth in new orders

Rate of input cost inflation quickened and output prices were raised to largest extent for a year.

Newly released PMI index shows Romania's manufacturing sector stuck in recession

The Romanian manufacturing sector faces new shocks from supply chain bottlenecks and higher taxes affecting activity, in the context of already broad-based weakness in demand.

Czech PMI inches upwards in February

The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for Czechia, compiled by market intelligence company S&P Global, inched upwards in February to 44.3 amid some positive signs in the struggling manufacturing sector.

Turkish manufacturing returns to growth for first time in eight months, February PMI shows

Input and output price components still elevated, suggesting price pressures remain strong, says Capital Economics.

Polish manufacturers anticipate recovery as PMI’s growth well beats consensus in February

Poland's Purchasing Managers' Index rose 0.8 points to 47.9 in February, the economic intelligence company S&P Global said on March 1.