The central bank targeted an annual inflation of 3.5% at the end of December, with one percentage point variation band around the target. It was the third year in a row in which the central bank missed the inflation target.
However, the 2009 inflation rate was slightly below analysts estimations of 4.8%-4.9%.
Food prices rose 0.3% on the month in December, while non-food prices were up 0.5% month-on-month. Tobacco and cigarettes prices saw the highest price increase in the non-food sector, of 3.6% compared with November.
Service prices, however, nudged down 0.2% on the month in December, driven by lower rents and air and postal services.
The harmonized index of consumer prices, or HICP, stood at 5.6% at the end of December, from 5.7% the month before.
In November, Romanian CPI rose 0.67% on the month, on higher tobacco and fuel prices, with the annual inflation widening to 4.65%.
In 2010, the central bank targets an annual inflation of 3.5% at the end of December, with one percentage variation band around the target, same as the objective set for 2009.