inflation

In Moldova, the minimum affordable package of services (Internet + minutes) costs less than $10, making the country the fourth most affordable mobile plan in the region. In terms of price/quality ratio (data value index, cost of 1 Mbps), the country ranks ninth, ahead of Denmark and many Western European countries.

European financial markets are under strain as the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran renews fears that an energy shock could exacerbate inflation. The region is almost entirely dependent on oil and gas imports. The price of Brent crude has risen nearly 10% since Friday, while natural gas prices in Europe have jumped 50%.

Exchange prices for gas in Europe on Monday afternoon sharply accelerated growth – up to 32%, exceeding $515 per thousand cubic meters. The main reason – the world’s largest gas supplier, Qatar’s state-owned energy company QatarEnergy announced that it would stop producing liquefied natural gas (LNG) at all of its facilities due to drone attacks on its facilities.

In the final report on the country following the expert mission, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) confirmed the NBM’s commitment to the principles of credibility and institutional transparency. The experts recognized the methods used as being in line with the modern international practice, allowing the domestic central bank to conduct an efficient monetary policy and contribute to the stability of the country’s financial system.

In the short term, the growth of exchange quotations for wheat will continue. Grain prices are always tightly linked to oil prices and the US dollar exchange rate. Attacks on Iran have already been converted by rising oil prices and strengthening of the dollar. In this nexus, a rise in the prices of fast traded agri-food commodities is inevitable.

According to the forecast of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the increase in food prices in Moldova in 2026 will amount to 4.9%, which puts our country on the 43rd place in the world on this indicator among 160 states.

Interaction with the IMF will be a key condition for the country’s support in the EU accession process. The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) made such an appeal to the Moldovan authorities at a meeting on February 27.

Countries in Central and South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa will take the brunt of food inflation this year, according to Logos Press.

Despite last year’s relatively high crop of mass-market vegetables, some of them will run out of stock in storage within the next two weeks. Not because demand will increase, but because quality will degrade rapidly, Logos Press reports.

The European Central Bank (ECB) expects food inflation, crucial to consumers’ perception of price stability, to stabilize just above its 2% target by the end of this year, according to Logos Press.

The volume of cash receipts at banks’ cash desks in January exceeded their disbursements by 96 million lei, down 6.8% (by 951 million lei) compared to the same month of the previous year, Logos Press reported.

The beginning of 2026 is marked by a series of decisions and processes that will largely set the financial trajectory of Moldova for the coming year. The focus is on the National Bank’s policy, inflation dynamics, the state of foreign exchange reserves and the Moldovan leu exchange rate.

Real house prices declined across the board, but the trend was down 0.7%, Logos Press reported

Excise rates on alcohol, tobacco and energy products will be brought in Moldova to the EU minimum, except for diesel fuel, the excise tax on which will be lower than the European minimum, Logos Press reports.

The National Bank of Moldova (NBM) proceeds from the expectation that the US dollar will depreciate less in 2026 than in 2025, as the initial effect of trade duties will subside, Logos Press reported.

Demand for portable charging stations in Ukraine has increased dramatically over the past few months: according to retail chains, sales of such stations have grown 3.5-4 times, Logos Press reports.

Rising costs and changing priorities will change the flow of tourism to Europe in 2026, according to Logos Press.

In the summer of 2026, Switzerland will hold a national referendum put forward by the Swiss People’s Party (SVP). The project aims to set a strict limit on the country’s population: by 2050, it should not exceed 10 million people.

The inflation rate in Moldova has fallen below 4% and the indexation of pensions will amount to about 6%, Logos Press reports.