Romanian businesses expect economic slowdown in early 2026
Romanian business managers across key sectors forecast a moderate decline in economic activity for December 2025 to February 2026, according to the latest survey from the INS.
Romanian business managers across key sectors forecast a moderate decline in economic activity for December 2025 to February 2026, according to the latest survey from the INS.
Romanian property holding Meta Estate Trust has launched Retail Park Ciolpani, marking the company's first operational asset and an early opening ahead of the planned Q1 2026 schedule.
The traditional December shopping surge has weakened across Europe, with Romania recording a 20% increase in non-food sales during the holiday month compared to the previous 11 months, according to Colliers analysis of Eurostat data from 2015-2024.
Holiday spending is decreasing by about 10% this year compared to 2024, as three-quarters of consumers (77%, up from 69% in 2024) expect higher prices on holiday goods.
Nepi Rockcastle has appointed Marius Barbu as COO, effective from April 2026, to succeed Marek Noetzel, current COO and CEO-designate. He has also been nominated as a Board Director and will stand for election at the next AGM in May 2026.
As winter holidays approach, Romanians experience both the joy of gift preparation and the pressure of festive spending.
Global Vision Investment Fund (GVIF) has signed a €4.5 million refinancing agreement with Raiffeisen Bank Romania for its retail project in Oradea.
Romania's modern retail market continues expanding, surpassing 5 million sqm of leasable retail space in 2025, according to Colliers data. The approximately 190,000 sqm delivered this year consolidated a stock heavily concentrated in Bucharest and five other counties, which together account for almost half of the total. However, Romania remains below regional peers in retail space per capita, indicating potential for further development.
Romanian entrepreneurial group Agroland, active in retail, agribusiness, food production and animal nutrition, continues its expansion strategy by opening two new stores in Mega format in Odorheiu Secuiesc and Orăștie. With these openings, the Mega network reaches 36 units nationwide.
M Core has inaugurated M Park Orăștie, a retail park designed to strengthen the group's presence in regional markets and expand its national portfolio of convenience-led retail assets. Located on a 23,000 sqm land plot, the project delivers a built area of approximately 5,500 sqm.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is participating in a €43 million loan by Raiffeisen Bank Romania to Altex Romania, the country's leading electro-IT retailer.
AFI has secured a €537 million refinancing package for three projects in its portfolio: AFI Cotroceni, AFI Brașov, and AFI Ploiești. This represents the largest real estate refinancing transaction in Romania, reinforcing AFI's commitment to the growth and development of its projects in the country.
The active entertainment component within shopping malls in Romania was valued at €28-30 million in 2024, excluding competitive socialising venues such as bowling and billiards, which are also growing rapidly. This represents almost three times the market size compared to 2019, finds a study by Nhood Romnaia.
Aria Shopping Center, a new retail concept in Bucharest's District 6, has launched its pre-leasing phase with a target of 90% occupancy before opening.
Calea Victoriei in Bucharest recorded the third-highest rent growth among 50 global markets analysed in Cushman & Wakefield's 2025 "Main Streets Across the World" report. With rents at €70 per sqm per month, representing a 17% increase from last year, Bucharest ranks 39th worldwide and 24th in Europe, level with Zagreb.
Nhood Romania has expanded its partnership with Urbano Group to take over full integrated property management of Urbano Shopping & Living, Transylvania's largest retail park located in the Cluj metropolitan area.
Goldbach Group has entered a strategic partnership with Hubix, a Romanian investment and management company, securing over €5.3 million to develop four new retail parks under the K2 brand. The partnership combines Goldbach Group's retail park development expertise with Hubix's financing structuring capabilities and private capital attraction through its established investors' community.
Romanian developer Intero Property Development has signed a sale contract with a retailer for 10,418 sqm of land at Bucharest-based SkyLight Residence. The new supermarket will be the retailer's largest store in Romania, spanning over 3,265 sqm. Construction is scheduled to start in approximately three months, with opening targeted for Q4 2026.
Sun Plaza has completed a major modernisation phase with the reopening of Zara according to the latest global flagship store concept designed by Zara's Architecture Office. The new space features expanded area, integrates new digital solutions and offers a fluid layout with interconnected spaces and separate entrances for intuitive navigation.
Romanian FMCG distributor Aquila reported a 17% increase in revenues to approximately RON 2.5 billion (€500 million) in the first nine months of 2025, driven by strong performance in its distribution and logistics segments.

Romania's government ordinance passted at the end of last year signals to companies that fiscal pressure could ease and the series of tax increases might end in 2026.
New car registrations in Romania increased by 4.7% in 2025 year-on-year, reaching 155,855 units, according to preliminary data released by the Association of Car Producers and Importers in Romania (APIA) based on DGPCI statistics.
Freedom24, the European broker connecting retail investors to international exchanges, expanded its Romanian client base by 9% to over 4,300 investors in 2025.
The tender for the design and construction of the final motorway lot of the Târgu Neamț - Iași - Ungheni section has been launched.
Romania received earlier this week €988.7 million from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF), representing reimbursement for advance payments made to farmers between 16 October and 30 November 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announced.