Bucharest's residential market is showing signs of recovery as the first half of 2026 drew to a close. After a start to the year marked by adjustment, with apartment transactions falling 16.6% in the first three months compared to the same period in 2025, the second quarter brought a rebound in demand, confirmed by ANCPI data.
Didier Balcaen, CEO of SPEEDWELL Development, talked to Property Forum about the company's €2 billion Romanian portfolio and the transition toward "quiet luxury" in residential. He highlighted that selective financing now rewards future-proof projects with measurable energy performance.
Oana Iliescu, Managing Director at Cushman & Wakefield Echinox, talked to Property Forum about the resilience of Romania's real estate stock, which remains among the youngest in CEE. She highlighted that despite a complex economic landscape, industrial and capital markets continue to offer investment opportunities for well-positioned assets and long-term investors.
Sustainability criteria are playing an increasing role when banks finance real estate projects in Romania, while buildings that meet green finance standards can obtain better terms. These are the findings of a study carried out by Colliers on the local market, based on responses from four commercial banks, which together hold more than half of the Romanian banking system's assets, and two multilateral development banks active in the real estate sector. The clearest rule identified for new buildings is the NZEB-10% standard, applied by all institutions analysed. All six require the primary energy demand of a new building to be at least 10% below the national NZEB threshold, and a project that does not meet this standard may still be financed, but the loan will generally not be classified as green finance.
When international investors discuss Romania, the conversation often begins with Bucharest and increasingly includes cities such as Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara and Brașov. Yet one of the country's most compelling growth stories is unfolding further east.
Energy company Electrica informs investors and the capital market that it has obtained the technical grid connection permits (ATR) for 17 new battery energy storage projects (BESS), with a total capacity of approximately 700 MWh.
The European Retail Banking Radar, Kearney's latest study now in its 18th edition, shows that Europe is entering a period of normalisation following the conditions of 2023–2025. For Romania, the challenge extends beyond the normalisation of interest rates.
Digi Spain has announced its intention to launch an initial public offering (IPO) on the Spanish stock exchanges, aiming to raise approximately €150 million.
Romania's national electricity transmission network operator, Transelectrica, has halted scheduled maintenance shutdowns to ensure the grid operates at maximum capacity during an ongoing extreme heatwave. The preventive measures aim to mitigate operational risks associated with severe weather conditions.
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, Romanian measures for the national investment and development bank Banca de Investiții și Dezvoltare (BID).