Romania's construction market grew by approximately 12% in the first five months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to a Colliers report on the real estate market in the first half of 2026. The residential segment recorded the strongest growth at approximately 16%, followed by infrastructure projects, including roads, railways and hospitals, which rose by around 14% and account for more than half of total sector activity. The non-residential segment grew more slowly, at approximately 6%, as financing remains expensive and private investors are more cautious. The report notes that these figures measure the actual volume of construction works rather than the financial value of investments.
Romania's National Commission for Strategy and Prognosis (CNSP) has cut its 2026 economic growth forecast by 0.9 percentage points to just 0.1%, down from the previous 1% projection, citing current macroeconomic conditions.
The European Commission has significantly reduced its estimates for Romanian economic growth this year to 0.1%, down from 1.1% estimated in autumn, while the inflation rate is expected to reach 7%, compared to the previously announced level below 6%, according to spring economic forecasts published Thursday.
Romanian construction activity increased by over 6% in the first two months of 2026, following a record 2025, and remained the country's only major economic sector showing growth in April, according to Colliers analysis based on Eurostat data.
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.
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).
In 2024, the value added from the European Union's agricultural industry accounted for 1.2% of GDP, a 0.1 percentage point (pp) increase compared to 2009.
Romania's labour market is undergoing a structural transformation as the country shifts from consumption-driven growth to a more technology-focused economy, with artificial intelligence and automation reshaping employment patterns.
Romania's construction market reached near-record levels in 2025, with work volumes growing almost 8% in the first eleven months compared to the previous year, according to Colliers' annual report. The sector now represents 9% of GDP, the highest share in the European Union and well above the 5% EU average.
Government debt as a share of GDP rose in Q3 in both the eurozone to 88.5% from 88.2% in Q2, and in the European Union to 82.1% from 81.9%, according to data published by Eurostat.
The World Bank revised down Romania's 2026 growth forecast to 1.3%, compared to the 1.9% predicted in June 2025 and 2.6% estimated in January 2025.
Romania's consolidated general budget recorded a deficit of RON 121.77 billion (€23.90 billion), equivalent to 6.40% of GDP, in the first eleven months of 2025, down 0.74 percentage points from 7.15% in the same period of 2024.
Colliers has published a new report focusing on CEE, examining economic and real estate trends across Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The study shows that 2025 brought moderate economic recovery, easing inflation and rising focus on sustainability, while real estate markets were shaped by modernization, limited new office supply, strong logistics demand and retail park expansion.
Romania's economy grew 0.8% on the gross series and 1.4% on the seasonally adjusted series in the first nine months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
Bucharest is consolidating its position within the Central and Eastern European (CEE) real estate market, combining rental growth across major asset classes with investment yields that remain well above Western European levels, according to the DNA of Real Estate Europe Q2 2026 report published by Cushman & Wakefield. Across Europe in Q2 2026, prime office rents rose 4.5% year-on-year, retail rents increased 3.0%, and logistics rents grew 2.4%, while investors remained selective as yield movements pointed to a more balanced market following the repricing cycle of recent years.
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.
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.
Digi Spain has announced its intention to launch an initial public offering (IPO) on the Spanish stock exchanges, aiming to raise approximately €150 million.