Romania ranks third in EU by monthly increase in industrial producer prices this October

Industrial producer prices in the EU were 5 percent up this October compared to September 2021, and 5.4 percent higher in the euro area, almost double compared to the advance of 2.7 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively, recorded in September versus August, shows data released on Thursday by the EU's statistical office Eurostat.

Industrial producer prices advanced in most EU member states, but the highest monthly increases were registered in Belgium (11.2 pct), Italy (8.4 pct) and Romania (8.6 pct, after an advance of 4.1 pct in September). The only member states to see industrial producer prices drop in October compared to September were Estonia (-2.1 pct), Luxembourg (-0.3 pct) and Sweden (-0.2 pct).

October's industrial producer prices in the EU were primarily driven up by a 14.9 percent increase in the energy sector.

Compared with the year-ago period, industrial producer prices were 21.9 percent up this October in the euro area and 21.7 percent higher in the EU, with all EU member states recording increases; the advance was the steepest in Ireland (89.9 pct), Denmark (39.8 pct), Belgium (34.5 pct) and Romania (32.4 pct).

Year-over-year, industrial producer prices in the EU were again mainly influenced by energy prices which rose by 59.8 percent, followed by prices for intermediate goods, which advanced 17.1 percent.

Changes in factory-gate prices are usually passed on to final consumers and can therefore be an indicator of the evolution of inflation which is targeted by the European Central Bank's monetary policy.

Earlier in the day the National Institute of Statistics published its own estimates showing that Romania's industrial producer prices (domestic and foreign market) were 26.8 percent up in October compared to the same month of the previous year, as prices in the energy sector increased by 74.71 percent during this period. Compared to September 2021, industrial producer prices overall (domestic and foreign market) increased by 6.3 percent.

According to the cited source, the industrial price index for the domestic market jumped 8.69 percent in October compared to September, and 32.42 percent YoY. The increase in the industrial producer price index for the foreign market was 2.06 percent in October compared to September and 17.47 percent compared to October 2020.