MARKET MOVING NEWS
ECONOMY
-Romania’s hotel market has doubled in size over the past 25 years, growing from 811 hotels in 2000 to 1,600 hotels in 2024, according to the National Institute of Statistics.
-Fitch Ratings has affirmed Romania’s long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating (IDR) at ‘BBB-’, maintaining a negative outlook.
FINANCE
– Private pension fund assets surpassed RON 160 billion in February, accounting for over 9% of GDP, with the number of participants reaching 9.12 million by the end of 2024, according to Romania’s Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF).
-Salt Bank, Romania’s first 100% digital bank, owned by Banca Transilvania Group, has attracted over 400,000 customers within ten months of its launch. The bank aims to exceed 700,000 customers by 2025.
-Romania’s Finance Ministry raised RON 2.57 billion from banks on Monday (Feb. 24) through two government bond auctions, with annual average yields of 6.92% and 7.40%, respectively.
-On February 21, FTSE Russell announced the indicative results of its biannual review, set to take effect in March 2025. All 11 Romanian companies included in the FTSE Global All Cap and FTSE Global Micro Cap indices for Emerging Markets have retained their positions. Additionally, shares of Aquila Part Prod Com (AQ), Arobs Transilvania Software (AROBS), and Sphera Franchise Group (SFG) will be re-included in the FTSE Global Micro Cap index after meeting liquidity and size requirements.
COMPANIES
-Safetech Innovations, a Romanian cybersecurity company listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, reported RON 59.8 million in revenues in 2024, a 28% increase from 2023. The company’s turnover grew 36% to RON 42.3 million, while net profit surged 39% to RON 13.5 million.
-ROCA Industry, a construction materials holding company listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, has invested over EUR 6.5 million in its operations in the Republic of Moldova, strengthening its regional presence.
TODAY’S MARKET DATA
EXCHANGE RATE OF THE NATIONAL LEU CURRENCY
| EUR 4.9773 | GBP 6.0152 |
| USD 4.7543 | CHF 5.2911 |
| BGN 2.5448 | MDL 0.2553 |
(Source: National Bank of Romania BNR)
BUCHAREST STOCK EXCHANGE (BVB) INDICES
| BET -0.42% BET-TR -0.42% BET-FI -0.29 % BET-NG -0.37% BET-EF -0.46% BET-XT -0.38%, BET-BK -0.18% BET AeRO -0.17 % ROTX -0.41% |
CAPITAL MARKET COMMENTARY
| Bucharest stocks traded lower on Monday mirroring the trend across Europe where markets closed lower after news on a possible coalition poured from Germany just a day after the election. The benchmark BET index lost 0.42%. Electrica led bluechip decliners as its shares dropped 1.96%. |
BET Index Constituents
| Company | Price | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| ANTIBIOTICE S.A. | 2.3700 | -1.25 |
| AQUILA PART PROD COM | 1.2850 | -0.77 |
| BANCA TRANSILVANIA S.A. | 28.0000 | -0.71 |
| BRD – GROUPE SOCIETE GENERALE S.A. | 18.0200 | -0.77 |
| C.N.T.E.E. TRANSELECTRICA | 45.9000 | 0.22 |
| Digi Communications N.V. | 66.2000 | -0.30 |
| FONDUL PROPRIETATEA | 0.3612 | -0.17 |
| MedLife S.A. | 5.8200 | 1.22 |
| OMV PETROM S.A. | 0.7450 | -1.00 |
| ONE UNITED PROPERTIES | 20.5000 | 1.23 |
| Premier Energy PLC | 19.2900 | 0.47 |
| PURCARI WINERIES PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED | 14.5000 | 0.00 |
| S.N. NUCLEARELECTRICA S.A. | 42.4500 | -0.12 |
| S.N.G.N. ROMGAZ S.A. | 5.8500 | 0.69 |
| S.N.T.G.N. TRANSGAZ S.A. | 27.6500 | -0.54 |
| S.P.E.E.H. HIDROELECTRICA S.A. | 121.6000 | -0.08 |
| SOCIETATEA ENERGETICA ELECTRICA S.A. | 15.0000 | -1.96 |
| Sphera Franchise Group | 40.9000 | -0.24 |
| TERAPLAST SA | 0.4195 | -0.24 |
| TTS (TRANSPORT TRADE SERVICES) | 5.2100 | -1.14 |
