MARKET MOVING NEWS
ECONOMY
-Romanian business leaders are navigating a fine line between hope and caution amid global economic uncertainties. While most managers expect a worsening of the international economy, many remain confident that their own businesses will either hold steady or improve. According to the CONFIDEX survey, the most optimistic sectors are services and IT, while agriculture remains cautious.
-The number of struggling companies continues to grow. A Sierra Quadrant analysis shows that 1 in 4 Romanian firms has entered the so-called “zombie zone” in Q1 2025. These financially unstable companies pose a risk to broader economic chains due to their persistent insolvency potential.
-Romania’s car manufacturing sector recorded an 11.2% decline in production during the first quarter of 2025, compared to the same period last year. A total of 135,723 vehicles were produced, with Automobile Dacia accounting for 75,812 units and Ford Otosan for 59,911, according to ACAROM.
-Despite ongoing inflation, Romanian Easter spending in 2025 is expected to remain in line with last year. A Bestjobs survey shows that 42% of respondents plan to spend between RON 500–1,000, while 35% expect to spend less than RON 500 on food and gifts.
FINANCE
-Romania had the highest share of emigrants in the EU in 2024, with 24% of its population (about 4.6 million people) living abroad. Still, the country benefits from one of the highest remittance-to-GDP ratios, reaching 2.8% in 2023, according to an Alpha Bank report.
-Bittnet Group (BNET), the first IT company listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB), celebrated a decade of public trading on April 15, 2025. Over the last 10 years, investors have executed 100,000+ transactions, trading more than 500 million shares worth over RON 250 million. Bittnet’s market value has grown almost 14 times since its listing.
-Alpha Bank Romania and UniCredit Bank clients now enjoy shared ATM access under a new cooperation initiative. Customers of both banks can withdraw, deposit, and check balances at either bank’s ATMs with no extra fees. This move supports the ongoing merger process, expected to be finalized in H2 2025.
COMPANIES
– OMV Petrom, the largest integrated energy company in South-Eastern Europe, has signed design and execution contracts for four photovoltaic parks in collaboration with Complexul Energetic Oltenia (CE Oltenia). The initiative is a step forward in Romania’s transition to cleaner energy and increased renewable capacity.
TODAY’S MARKET DATA
EXCHANGE RATE OF THE NATIONAL LEU CURRENCY
| EUR 4.9775 | GBP 5.8128 |
| USD 4.3806 | CHF 5.3588 |
| BGN 2.5450 | MDL 0.2538 |
(Source: National Bank of Romania BNR)
BUCHAREST STOCK EXCHANGE (BVB) INDICES
| BET 0.28% – BET-TR 0.28% BET-FI -0.55% BET-NG 0.00% BET-EF 0.32% BET-XT 0.15%, BET-BK 0.17% BET AeRO 1.13% ROTX 0.26% |
CAPITAL MARKET COMMENTARY
| Bucharest stocks traded in the red on Wednesday in line with rest of Europe as uncertainty over the direction of U.S. trade tariffs continued to dent sentiment. The benchmark BET index was off 0.28% with drugmaker Antibiotice SA leading bluechip decliners. Iasi-based company saw its shares falling 1.19%. |
BET Index Constituents
| Company | Price | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| ANTIBIOTICE S.A. | 2.0750 | -1.19 |
| AQUILA PART PROD COM | 1.3100 | 0.77 |
| BANCA TRANSILVANIA S.A. | 27.9400 | -0.57 |
| BRD – GROUPE SOCIETE GENERALE S.A. | 18.1200 | -0.44 |
| C.N.T.E.E. TRANSELECTRICA | 43.8000 | -0.45 |
| Digi Communications N.V. | 65.5000 | 0.15 |
| FONDUL PROPRIETATEA | 0.3700 | 1.37 |
| MedLife S.A. | 6.1900 | 0.00 |
| OMV PETROM S.A. | 0.7130 | -0.28 |
| ONE UNITED PROPERTIES | 18.4000 | 0.88 |
| Premier Energy PLC | 18.8200 | -0.95 |
| PURCARI WINERIES PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED | 14.3200 | -0.56 |
| S.N. NUCLEARELECTRICA S.A. | 39.9000 | 0.13 |
| S.N.G.N. ROMGAZ S.A. | 5.9600 | -0.33 |
| S.N.T.G.N. TRANSGAZ S.A. | 27.0500 | -0.18 |
| S.P.E.E.H. HIDROELECTRICA S.A. | 120.5000 | 0.00 |
| SOCIETATEA ENERGETICA ELECTRICA S.A. | 12.2800 | -0.97 |
| Sphera Franchise Group | 40.6000 | 0.25 |
| TERAPLAST SA | 0.3725 | -0.67 |
| TTS (TRANSPORT TRADE SERVICES) | 3.9950 | -0.37 |
