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ECONOMY -Romania’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.4% in November 2023, maintaining its lowest level since September 2021, data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS) showed. -A total of 2,700 residential building permits were issued by authorities in November 2023, down 15.1% on an annual basis, according to INS. -Only 34% of Romanians expect better living conditions this year,

ECONOMY -Romania’s trade balance posted a deficit of EUR25.5 billion in January-November 2023, down 17.6% on an annual basis, data from the National Institute of Statistics showed. -The Romanian hotel market will ad seven new hotels under international brands this year, with around 650 rooms overall, Ziarul Financiar reported. -Romania’s Finance Ministry raised RON1.5 billion from banks on Monday (Jan. 8), selling

ECONOMY -The seven mandatory private pension funds in Romania (Pillar II) boast an annual average yield of 17.9% in 2023, the best annual performance in the entire history of the system and over 10% above the inflation rate estimated for 2023, Ziarul Financiar reported. -Romania’s Competition watchdog said it was analyzing the transaction through which Italian lender Intesa Sanpaolo intends to acquire

ECONOMY -Romania’s industrial production prices for the total (domestic market and non-domestic market) dropped 2.6% in November 2023 on an annual basis, data from Romania’s National Statistics Institute INS showed. -Romania’s Finance Ministry raised RON757 million from banks on Thursday (Jan. 4) selling bonds with a nominal value of RON600 million due in May 2027, at an annual average yield of 6.3%,

POLITICS Romania and Bulgaria will enter the Schengen area of free movement by air and sea borders in March 2024, the Romanian government announced on Wednesday. ECONOMY -The National Statistics Institute revised Romania’s economic growth from 4.7% to 4.1% in 2022. -Private lending in Romania increased by 5.4% in nominal terms (down 1.2% in real terms) to RON384 billion in November 2023

ECONOMY -Romania’s economy slowed down in the second half of 2023 and the real GDP growth will probably be around 2%, below the forecast, according to the Convergence Analysis Report “Romania – Euro Zone MONITOR” no. 14/2023. -The average monthly pension in the country stood at 2,117 RON in the third quarter of 2023, up 0.4% compared to the previous quarter, the

ECONOMY -Romania saw an 86% increase in the number of FDI (foreign direct investment) projects last year, making it the fifteenth most attractive European investment destination, up seven places from the previous year, according to the 2023 edition of the annual report EY Romania Attractiveness Survey. -Romania’s Finance Ministry raised RON1.16 billion from banks on Monday (Dec. 18) selling bonds with a

ECONOMY -Romania’s industrial sales (on the domestic and external markets) increased by 2.5% in nominal terms in October m-o-m and by 3.1% on an annual basis, data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS) showed. -The 2024 state budget and the state social insurance budget for 2024 draft laws were approved by the government on the Thursday evening sitting, despite a negative

ECONOMY -In the third quarter of 2023, the employment rate for the working age population (15-64 years) was 63.3%, increasing as against the one recorded during the previous quarter, data from the National Institute of Statistics showed. -Romania’s Finance Ministry raised RON1.5 billion from banks on Thursday (Dec. 14), selling government paper in two auctions, at annual average yields of 6.37% and

ECONOMY Romania’s central bank latest Financial Stability Report (December 2023) shows that the main systemic risks to financial stability have remained the same since the previous Report, yet global economic and geopolitical uncertainties have amplified. Of the four systemic risks, two are assessed as severe, of which the risk from external developments is seen becoming more relevant in the period ahead. -Romania’s