Economy
Romanian leu hits new historic low against euro
The Romanian leu depreciated on Tuesday against the euro, which was calculated by the National Bank of Romania (BNR) at RON 5.2180 lei, up 0.35%, recording a new historic high.
The Romanian Parliament voted to dismiss the government led by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan on Tuesday.
The Romanian leu depreciated on Thursday against the euro, which was calculated by the National Bank of Romania (BNR) at RON 5.1417, up 0.8% from the previous rate, recording a new historic low for the local currency.
Romania's job market in Q1 2026 showed a significant imbalance between supply and demand, with applications on OLX Locuri de Muncă rising 10.6% to 2.62 million whilst total job postings dropped 43.1% to 41,221 compared to the same period in 2025.
Romania's annual inflation rate will increase and remain at higher levels than previously forecast during March-June 2026, according to the minutes from the National Bank of Romania's monetary policy meeting held in early April.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting energy price shock are putting additional pressure on Romania's economy, already affected by the EU's highest inflation, a major fiscal deficit and internal political risks, according to an eToro analysis.
In 2025, Romania recorded one of the highest shares of young entrepreneurs in the EU, with those aged 20–29 accounting for 10.3% of the country's self-employed population.
The EU employment rate reached over 76% in 2025, but Romania remains among member states with the lowest employment rates, according to data published by Eurostat on Friday.
Romania recorded the highest annual inflation rate in the European Union in March 2026, reaching a peak of 9.0%.
Romania's annual inflation rate climbed to 9.87% in March from 9.31% in February, driven by an 11.05% increase in services, 10.89% rise in non-food goods, and 7.67% growth in food prices, according to data published by the National Statistics Institute (INS).
The World Bank has significantly downgraded its economic growth projections for Romania this year, lowering expectations to 0.5% from the 1.3% forecast issued at the start of 2026.
CITR, the judicial administrator of Șantierul Naval din Mangalia, announced that the creditors' assembly has rejected the proposed reorganisation plan for the company.
The joint plenary session of Parliament officially adopted the 2026 state budget and social security budget projects on Friday.
Romania's annual inflation rate saw a marginal decrease in February 2026, dropping to 9.31% from the 9.62% recorded in January.
The Romanian government has launched a comprehensive legislative package aimed at dismantling bureaucratic barriers for large-scale investments.
Romania's Ministry of Finance has drafted legislation to extend state aid for road transport operators, providing compensation for diesel price increases until the end of 2026.
Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, and Romania could raise labour productivity by up to 10 to 15% through wider adoption of digital technologies, particularly software and AI-enabled tools, according to a report by World Bank Group.
Romania's retail sales volume (excluding automotive and motorcycle trade) dropped 9.1% year-on-year in January 2026 in gross terms, and 6.5% when adjusted for working days and seasonality, according to data released by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
The current conflict in Iran may only have a marginal impact on the global economy, according to an opinion by stock exchange broker Investimental.
Romania's economy grew 0.7% in real terms in 2025 compared to 2024, though GDP fell 1.9% in Q4 compared to the previous quarter, according to provisional data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
Enterprise Investors (EI) Fund IX will invest up to €20.4 million in 18GYM, one of Romania's leading fitness chains, acquiring a minority stake.
Romania's Ministry of Finance approved state aid worth €1.85 billion by the end of 2025, supporting total investments of over €4.2 billion and contributing to the creation of more than 36,000 jobs.
Only a quarter of Romanian CEOs expect their company revenues to grow in 2026, marking the lowest percentage in five years.
The Middle East conflict is driving up energy prices and pushing inflation higher across CEE. Oil and gas shocks hit import-dependent economies hardest, forcing central banks to postpone planned rate cuts as markets turn risk-off, according to an analysis by ING Bank.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) projects that Romania's economic growth will accelerate to 1.2% in 2026.
German defence group Rheinmetall is considering acquiring the bankrupt shipyard in Mangalia, in partnership with Swiss shipping company MSC. The potential takeover could transform the facility into a dual-use hub for military and civilian shipbuilding.
The Romanian leu depreciated on Tuesday against the euro, which was calculated by the National Bank of Romania (BNR) at RON 5.2180 lei, up 0.35%, recording a new historic high.
The Romanian Parliament voted to dismiss the government led by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan on Tuesday.
Raiffeisen Bank Romania concluded Q1 2026 with a net profit of RON 367 million (€73.4 million), a decrease of 12.2% versus Q1 2025.
IT Hit, a Romanian IT services company specialising in ERP, CRM, and business management systems, has announced a reseller partnership with Druid AI, a provider of AI agents for higher education, healthcare, retail, banking, and insurance sectors.