April in numbers

• April 1st

- The BNR announces that, on March 31, 2024, the foreign exchange reserves at the National Bank of Romania stood at 64,279 million euros, compared to 63,128 million euros on February 29, 2024. The level of the gold reserve remained at 103.6 tons. Under the conditions of international price developments, its value was 6,898 million euros. Romania's international reserves (currency plus gold) on March 31, 2024 were 71,177 million euros, compared to 69,368 million euros on February 29, 2024.

- The gram of gold, quoted at the minimum level of the month: 333.3834 lei, according to the BNR.

• April 4th

- The Board of Directors of the National Bank of Romania decides: maintaining the monetary policy interest rate at the level of 7% per year; maintaining the interest rate for the credit facility (Lombard) at 8% per year and the interest rate for the deposit facility at 6% percent per year; maintaining the current levels of the mandatory minimum reserve rates for liabilities in lei and in foreign currency of credit institutions.

- The exchange rate of the Swiss franc reaches the lowest level of the month against our currency: 5.0503 lei, according to the BNR.

• April 8 th

- Euro - at the lowest exchange rate of the month against the leu: 4.9678 lei, according to the BNR.

• April 9 th

- The plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies votes, as a decision-making body, on the draft law on gambling, by which the "casualties" are removed from localities with less than 15,000 inhabitants.

- The dollar - at the lowest exchange rate of the month against our currency: 4.5729 lei, according to the BNR.

• April 11 th

- The executive approves the National Financial Education Strategy 2024-2030.

• April 12 th

- The BNR announces that, in the period January-February 2024, the current account of the balance of payments recorded a deficit of 2,707 million euros, compared to 2,171 million euros in the period January-February 2023. In its structure, the balance of goods recorded a deficit more small by 39 million euros, the balance of services - a smaller surplus by 456 million euros, the balance of primary incomes - a larger deficit by 516 million euros, and the balance of secondary incomes - a surplus of 345 million euros, compared to a deficit of 52 million euro in the period January-February 2023.

- The gram of gold reaches the maximum price of the month: 359.6861 lei, according to the BNR.

• April 16 th

- President Klaus Iohannis approves the criminal prosecution requests against Petre Roman, as former prime minister, and Gelu-Voican Voiculescu, as former deputy prime minister, for their involvement in the June 13-15, 1990 mining raid .

- Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu begins a three-day visit to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates for discussions with local authorities and investment funds in the Gulf area, with the aim of attracting 15 billion euros to finance large infrastructure projects.

- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) revises down the estimates regarding the growth of the Romanian economy this year, from 3.8% as predicted in October, to 2.8%.

- The dollar - at the highest exchange rate of the month against our currency: 4.6818 lei, according to the BNR.

• April 19

- The franc reaches the maximum exchange rate of the month against our currency: 5.1404 lei, according to BNR data.

• April 23 th

- The leaders of the governing coalition, Marcel Ciolacu and Nicolae Ciucă, announce that they are giving up the candidacy of doctor Cătălin Cîrstoiu for the Capital City Hall and that each formation will have its own candidate. The President of the PNL, Nicolae Ciucă, confirmed Sebastian Burduja (the current Minister of Energy), and Marcel Ciolacu announced the candidacy of Gabriela Firea, from the PSD.

- The government adopts an emergency ordinance launching a new stage of the Electric Up financing program, for the installation of photovoltaic panels and the purchase of electric charging stations

• April 24 th

- The BNR announces that the money supply in a broad sense (M3) recorded, at the end of March 2024, a balance of 680,123.4 million lei. This increased by 0.3% (-0.1% in real terms) compared to February 2024, and compared to March 2023 it increased by 10.8% (3.9% in real terms).

• April 26 th

- The DNA prosecutors announce that they ordered the initiation of criminal proceedings and the detention for 24 hours of the defendant Cătălin-Liviu Stănculescu, the head of the Energy Directorate of the Oltenia Energy Complex (CEO) for committing the offense of influence peddling in a continuous form.

- Euro reaches the maximum exchange rate of the month against the leu: 4.9765 lei, according to BNR figures.

• April 30th

- The BET index, of the 20 most liquid securities from the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB), ended April at 17,061 points, 0.21% above the level at the end of March.

- The BET-NG index, of energy and utility companies, depreciated by 0.22%, to 1,223 points.

- The shares of Sphera Franchise Group (SFG), the operator of the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell food chains, had a 15% increase last month, recording the best performance in the BET index.

- The shares of the telecommunications operator Digi appreciated by 12.4% in April, based on the announcement regarding the sale by Digi Spain of an optical fiber internet network for a price of up to 750 million euros.

- Banca Transilvania (TLV) shares rose by 2.01%, while BRD-Groupe Societe Generale (BRD) securities depreciated by 4.15%.

- OMV Petrom (SNP) shares rose by 2.6%, in a context marked by tensions in the Middle East.

- Romgaz shares fell by 6.4% last month, after the company's management recommended a dividend distribution of only 20% of last year's profit.

- The BET-FI index, of SIFs plus Fondul Proprietatea, fell by 0.72%, to 60,331 points, as FP shares lost their importance after the sale of Hidroelectrica, and the Lion Capital group, SIF Muntenia and Infinity Capital Investments does not distribute dividends.