Romania's central bank announced on Monday its first hike in interest rates since 2008, as inflation picks up and the economy expands at one of the fastest paces in Europe. The BNR central bank said it has lifted its benchmark interest rate to 2.0 percent from 1.75 percent, the first increase since August 2008.

Inflation in Romania hit 4.4 percent in November and the European Union country's economy expanded at an annual rate of 8.8 percent in the third quarter.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2018