CAPITAL MARKET MOVING NEWS
ECONOMY
-In the third quarter of 2024 compared to Q2 2024, the adjusted hourly labour cost (working
days adjusted) registered an increase of 3.18%, the National Institute of Statistics (INS) data showed. In Q3 2024 compared to Q3 2023, the adjusted hourly labour cost (working days adjusted) registered an increase of 17.12%
-“November data shows a marginally worse situation across the Romanian manufacturing sector. The BCR Romania Manufacturing PMI came in at 48.0 vs 48.1 in the prior month” Ciprian Dascalu, Chief Economist at BCR said.
-The total number of active bank cards at the end of June 2024 was 22,420,841 units, an increase of 669,038 cards compared to the end of 2023, the National Bank of Romania (BNR) data showed.
-Nearly half of employees are dissatisfied with their current jobs, up from just over a third in 2023, with 55% believing a pay rise would bring them more satisfaction at work, according to a survey conducted by the local online recruitment platform BestJobs.
FINANCE
-High volatility, rising global trade tensions and a stable EUR/RON exchange rate are several forex market tendencies in 2025, according to iBanFirst, a leading global provider of foreign exchange and international payments. “We doubt that the rating agencies will downgrade the country’s sovereign rating, which could imperil its banking sector. Romania will probably not avoid a negative outlook on its rating, but this is a lesser evil. It should also be kept in mind that the Romanian central bank plays a major role in the local bond market, helping avoid hiccups on sovereign debt issues” iBanFirst said.
-More than half (57%) of interactions Romanians have with their banks for new product purchases are digital, a level that is almost double the 2020 one, of 30%, according to the European Retail Banking Radar report by Kearney.
-The assets of the open-end investment funds managed by asset management companies in Romania stood at a record high of RON26.4 billion in October 2024, up 38% on an annual basis, Ziarul Financiar daily has calculated based on data from the Association of Asset Managers (AAF).
COMPANIES
-In January-October 2024, the number of registrations of natural and legal persons decreased by 15.64%, compared to same period in 2023 totaling 104,702 registrations, data centralized by the National Trade Register Office (ONRC) reveal. The most registrations were registered in the Municipality of Bucharest, respectively 23,733 (-8.37% y-o-y).
-In the first ten months of this year the number of commercial companies and authorized individuals (PFAs) that became insolvent was 5,896, up 9.63% compared to the similar period in 2023, when 5,378 insolvencies were registered, ONRC data showed.The most companies and PFAs that filed for insolvency were registered in Bucharest (1,053).
-Dutch-Belgian multinational retail and wholesale holding company Ahold Delhaize announced that the Romanian regulatory authorities have approved the intended acquisition from MidEuropa of the 100% stake in the Romanian food retail chain Profi Rom Food SRL (Profi).
-Seven out of ten companies in Romania (67%) expect an increase in impact of circular economy regulations from moderate over the last 12 months to high and very high in the next five years, according to a Deloitte study entitled “Circular Economy. Perception and the Stage of the Implementation in Romania 2024”, conducted among approximately 100 companies on the local market, entrepreneurial businesses or subsidiaries of multinational corporations.
TODAY’S MARKET DATA
EXCHANGE RATE OF THE NATIONAL LEU CURRENCY
| EUR 4.9770 | GBP 6.0043 |
| USD 4.7393 | CHF 5.3444 |
| BGN 2.5447 | MDL 0.2584 |
(Source: National Bank of Romania BNR)
BUCHAREST STOCK EXCHANGE (BVB) INDICES
| BET 1.48% BET-TR 1.48% BET-FI 0.49% BET-NG 1.04% BET-EF 1.35% BET-XT 1.38%, BET-BK 1.33% BET AeRO 0.79% ROTX 1.42% |
CAPITAL MARKET COMMENTARY
| Bucharest stocks closed in the green on Wednesday mirroring the trend across Europe with investors breathing sighs of relief. The benchmark BET index was up 1.48%. Iasi-based drug maker Antibiotice led bluechip gainers, jumping 6.12%. |
BET Index Constituents
| Company | Price | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| ANTIBIOTICE S.A. | 2.6000 | 6.12 |
| AQUILA PART PROD COM | 1.1700 | 1.30 |
| BANCA TRANSILVANIA S.A. | 26.6500 | 2.30 |
| BRD – GROUPE SOCIETE GENERALE S.A. | 17.9000 | 1.59 |
| C.N.T.E.E. TRANSELECTRICA | 36.5000 | 3.11 |
| Digi Communications N.V. | 60.6000 | 1.00 |
| FONDUL PROPRIETATEA | 0.2816 | -2.90 |
| MedLife S.A. | 5.7200 | 4.57 |
| OMV PETROM S.A. | 0.7050 | 0.71 |
| ONE UNITED PROPERTIES | 0.4090 | 3.94 |
| Premier Energy PLC | 19.3000 | 0.00 |
| PURCARI WINERIES PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED | 14.1000 | 0.71 |
| S.N. NUCLEARELECTRICA S.A. | 39.5000 | 1.41 |
| S.N.G.N. ROMGAZ S.A. | 5.0100 | -0.20 |
| S.N.T.G.N. TRANSGAZ S.A. | 21.5000 | 2.38 |
| S.P.E.E.H. HIDROELECTRICA S.A. | 119.5000 | 0.93 |
| SOCIETATEA ENERGETICA ELECTRICA S.A. | 12.7800 | 3.06 |
| Sphera Franchise Group | 36.9000 | 2.22 |
| TERAPLAST SA | 0.3945 | -1.87 |
| TTS (TRANSPORT TRADE SERVICES) | 3.9750 | -2.21 |
