Romanians are preparing for a holiday season with higher budgets compared to last year. According to a study by Raiffeisen Bank in partnership with Appinio, 65% of respondents expect higher Christmas spending in 2025, while approximately one in four Romanians (26%) estimate similar costs to 2024.
AI agent usage is rising, with 25% of organizations using Gen AI expected to deploy it by 2025, increasing to 50% by 2027.
The survey "GenAI for marketing: Fear or FOMO" (Fear Of Missing Out) interviewed more than 50 CMOs and marketing directors in Europe, Australia and the US.
The current talent landscape is marked by employees moving in short cycles from one employer to another in order to gain new experiences and thus upgrade their skills.
The study shows that data-related issues have caused 55% of the organizations to avoid certain Generative AI use cases.
AI is now largely accepted as key to future success in virtually every industry, and it is time for technology companies to translate the potential of AI into performance.
By 2030, Gen Z will be a key driver of the AI future, comprising 30% of global workforce.
Compared to 2022, consumers in 2023 and 2024 have adopted a more strategic approach, planning their purchases in advance.
Majority (90%) of firms surveyed have adopted AI into operations to some degree, but most remain in the early stages and 8% have not integrated AI at all.
Experts emphasized that cyber threats continue to evolve at a particularly accelerated pace, targeting both organizations and the human element within companies.
Romania has the seventh largest M&A transaction in Central and Eastern Europe in the first 9 months.The value of global transactions reached $1.6 trillion, up by 10%.
According to the study, the Responsible Behavior and Insurance Benchmark of Romania—55% of Romanians describe themselves as optimistic, while 15% adopt a pragmatic approach.
However, over 43% do not have savings set aside and are relying on their October salary or plan to take out a loan.
Almost 7 out of 10 Romanians have low self-esteem, and 66% do not trust other people, these being the main obstacles in people's personal development.
Another important aspect for the organizations' success identified by the study is reimagining the work, workplace, and workforce in line with technology developments (67%).
Gen Z save for pleasure and education (14%), while Millennials (56%). Best Agers (57%) want to be fully covered in case of unpredictable times.
72% of retailers aim to increase their store space, compared to 26% in 2022, with physical stores remaining a key element in the overall strategy.
Nearly 60% of respondents see the potential of e-invoicing and digital reporting for trade to simplify compliance.
An overwhelming majority of CFOs (87%) believe that generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) will drive efficiency in the tax area, compared to only 15% in 2023.
Romania has a considerably higher rate of young people who make plans for their future (96%), among which 54% have well defined plans, compared to 40%, the European average.
Romania maintains a much higher level of energy self-sufficiency compared to the EU average, though certain sectors show diverging trends, according to Eurostat.
The National Road Investment Company (CNIR) has submitted documentation to the National Public Procurement Agency for the tender of an Express Road connecting the A0 Bucharest North Motorway to the future Terminal 2 of Henri Coandă-Otopeni International Airport. The estimated investment value exceeds RON 400 million (€80 million).
Turkish investor Yeşilyurt Enerji has successfully secured a €20 million financing package from the Netherlands-based bank YapiKredi
Romania has reached a significant milestone in its agricultural trade strategy by securing access to the Chinese market.
Purcari Wineries has signed documentation to acquire Serve Ceptura, pending corporate and regulatory approvals including clearance from Romania's Commission for the Examination of Foreign Direct Investments.