New technical recession quarter. Romania's economy decreased by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2026.

In the first quarter of 2026, Romania's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) recorded a decrease of 0.2% compared to the previous quarter, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Compared to the same period in 2025, GDP decreased by 1.5%.

Also, on a gross series, the decrease was 1.7%, while on a seasonally adjusted series, it was 1.5%. INS recalculated the seasonally adjusted series of quarterly GDP, which led to differences compared to previous estimates published.

The largest price increases recorded in April 2026 were in the services sector, with an average increase of 2.28%. By categories, the largest price increases were for rents (33.50%) and air transport (27.58%). Additionally, the annual inflation rate of 10.7% in April.