MARKET MOVING NEWS
ECONOMY
Romania recorded the largest VAT collection deficit in the European Union (EU) in 2022, losing 30.6% of its expected VAT revenues, according to a report by tax consultancy firm Forvis Mazars. While this figure remains high, it represents an improvement of 4.2 percentage points compared to 2021, signaling progress in tax collection efficiency.
Meanwhile, economic disparities continue to challenge Romania. A recent report titled “Transport Poverty in Romania,” authored by Adela Fofiu, highlights that one-third of Romania’s population is exposed to poverty. The country’s underdeveloped transport infrastructure exacerbates the issue, limiting economic mobility and access to job opportunities in key regions.
In the labor market, Romanian online recruitment platform OLX released the ninth edition of its Job Index report, showing that after a turbulent 2024, Romania’s labor market is stabilizing. The report indicates that blue-collar jobs remain the most in-demand, with hiring activity gradually improving across multiple sectors.
FINANCE
The Romanian capital market’s representation in the MSCI indices is set to expand starting March 1, 2025, with two additional Bucharest Stock Exchange-listed companies joining global benchmarks. Holdingrock (ROC1) and Sinteza (STZ) will be included in the MSCI Frontier IMI and MSCI Romania IMI indices, which track Small Cap, Mid Cap, and Large Cap companies.
They will be joined by Transport Trade Services (TTS), which is already part of the MSCI Frontier and MSCI Romania indices, currently limited to Mid Cap and Large Cap companies.
This increased presence in international indices enhances the visibility of Romanian equities, potentially attracting more institutional investors to the local market.
Meanwhile, Canada’s InteRo Property Development has secured EUR 16 million in funding from Poland’s CVI through a bond issuance. A significant portion of the financing is expected to be allocated to a real estate development project in Bucharest, strengthening the city’s property market and attracting further foreign investment.
TODAY’S MARKET DATA
EXCHANGE RATE OF THE NATIONAL LEU CURRENCY
| EUR 4.9770 | GBP 5.9687 |
| USD 4.7980 | CHF 5.2633 |
| BGN 2.5447 | MDL 0.2562 |
(Source: National Bank of Romania BNR)
BUCHAREST STOCK EXCHANGE (BVB) INDICES
| BET 0.58% BET-TR 0.58% BET-FI -0.03% BET-NG 0.76% BET-EF 0.57% BET-XT 0.49%, BET-BK 0.61% BET AeRO -0.25% ROTX 0.55% |
CAPITAL MARKET COMMENTARY
| Bucharest stocks extended their gains on Wednesday in line with rest of Europe. The benchmark BET index rose 0.58%. Aquila led blue-chip gainers as the consumer goods distributor saw its shares surging by 3.35%. |
BET Index Constituents
| Company | Price | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| ANTIBIOTICE S.A. | 2.4300 | 0.41 |
| AQUILA PART PROD COM | 1.2350 | 3.35 |
| BANCA TRANSILVANIA S.A. | 27.5500 | 0.18 |
| BRD – GROUPE SOCIETE GENERALE S.A. | 18.3600 | -0.11 |
| C.N.T.E.E. TRANSELECTRICA | 44.3500 | 1.03 |
| Digi Communications N.V. | 65.4000 | 1.24 |
| FONDUL PROPRIETATEA | 0.3496 | 0.63 |
| MedLife S.A. | 5.7100 | 0.18 |
| OMV PETROM S.A. | 0.7545 | 1.28 |
| ONE UNITED PROPERTIES | 19.8400 | -1.05 |
| Premier Energy PLC | 19.1300 | 0.00 |
| PURCARI WINERIES PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED | 14.3000 | 0.14 |
| S.N. NUCLEARELECTRICA S.A. | 40.9000 | 0.00 |
| S.N.G.N. ROMGAZ S.A. | 5.6900 | 0.71 |
| S.N.T.G.N. TRANSGAZ S.A. | 26.7500 | 2.29 |
| S.P.E.E.H. HIDROELECTRICA S.A. | 122.5000 | 0.33 |
| SOCIETATEA ENERGETICA ELECTRICA S.A. | 14.7200 | 0.00 |
| Sphera Franchise Group | 40.2000 | 0.25 |
| TERAPLAST SA | 0.4120 | -0.72 |
| TTS (TRANSPORT TRADE SERVICES) | 5.0500 | 0.00 |
