In March 2009, the highest annual inflation rates were registered in Latvia (7.9 percent), Lithuania (7.4 percent), and Romania (6.7 percent), while the lowest were in Ireland (-0.7 percent), Portugal (-0.6 percent), and Luxembourg (-0.3 percent).
EU annual inflation was 1.3 percent in March 2009, down from 1.8 percent in February. Euro area annual inflation was 0.6 percent in March 2009, half the 1.2 percent rate registered in February. Monthly inflation was 0.4 percent in March 2009 in the euro zone and 0.3 percent in the EU.
Highest monthly inflation rates were registered in Greece (2 percent), Malta (1.5 percent), Cyprus (1.4 percent), while prices fell in Belgium (-0.6 percent), Estonia (-0.5 percent), Bulgaria (-0.3 percent), and Slovakia (-0.3 percent). In Romania, prices rose by a monthly 0.5 percent in March.
