February in numbers

• February 1

- The Government approves the Law on the State Budget for 2025 and the Law on the Social Insurance Budget.

• February 3

- The National Bank of Romania announces that, as of January 31, 2025, foreign exchange reserves at the National Bank of Romania stood at 60,837 million euros, compared to 62,135 million euros on December 31, 2024. The level of the gold reserve remained at 103.6 tons. Given the evolution of international prices, its value stood at 8,973 million euros. Romania's international reserves (currency plus gold) as of January 31, 2025 were 69,810 million euros, compared to 70,491 million euros on December 31, 2024.

- The dollar - at the highest exchange rate of the month against our currency: 4.8595 lei, according to the National Bank of Romania.

• February 4

- The gram of gold, quoted at the minimum level of the month: 435.8564 lei, according to the NBR.

• February 5

- The Parliament adopts the State Budget Law and the Social Insurance Budget Law.

• February 6

- The franc reaches the maximum exchange rate of the month against our currency: 5.3062 lei, according to NBR data.

- The Euro - at the lowest exchange rate of the month against the leu: 4.9764 lei, according to NBR data.

• February 7

- Green Tech International, a group that operates geothermal wells and a platform for geothermal energy solutions, debuts on the BVB after an IPO in December 2024.

- The European Central Bank (ECB) agrees to renew the framework arrangement on the provision of euro liquidity to the National Bank of Romania, through a repo line. Based on this arrangement, the NBR can borrow up to 4.5 billion euros from the ECB. The repo line will be available until January 31, 2027, unless it is extended.

• February 10

- President Klaus Iohannis signs the decrees for the promulgation of the 2025 State Budget Law and the State Social Insurance Budget Law.

- President Klaus Iohannis announces his resignation from the presidency to avoid a political crisis generated by the initiation of the suspension procedure.

• February 12

- Ilie Bolojan is appointed interim president of the country.

- The franc reaches the minimum exchange rate of the month against our currency: 5.2633 lei, according to the NBR.

• February 13

- The NBR announces that, in the period January-December 2024, the current account of the balance of payments recorded a deficit of 29,370 million euros, compared to 21,491 million euros in the period January-December 2023. In its structure, the balance of goods recorded a deficit higher by 3,854 million euros, the balance of services - a surplus lower by 1,815 million euros, the balance of primary income - a deficit higher by 1,273 million euros, and the balance of secondary income - a surplus lower by 937 million euros.

• February 14

- The NBR Board of Directors decides to maintain the monetary policy interest rate at the level of 6.50% per annum; maintaining the interest rate for the lending facility (Lombard) at 7.50% per annum and the interest rate for the deposit facility at 5.5% per annum; maintaining the levels of the minimum reserve requirements for the liabilities in lei and in foreign currency of credit institutions.

• February 20

- The gram of gold reaches the maximum price of the month: 452.3179 lei, according to the NBR.

• February 24

- A DNA investigation takes place in the Port of Constanta. Several directors and officials of the Maritime Ports Administration, along with businessmen, were accused of taking and giving bribes.

• February 25

- The NBR informs that the broad money supply (M3) recorded, at the end of January, a balance of 734,829.2 million lei. It decreased by 0.9% (-1.8% in real terms) compared to December 2024, and compared to January 2024 it increased by 10.1% (4.9% in real terms).

• February 26

- Former presidential candidate Călin Georgescu is placed under judicial control, being accused of six crimes, including instigation of actions against the constitutional order.

- Euro reaches the maximum exchange rate of the month against the leu: 4.9774 lei, according to NBR figures.

- Dollar - at the lowest exchange rate of the month against our currency: 4.7417 lei, according to NBR.

• February 27

- The Ministry of Finance announces that the budget deficit reached 11.01 billion lei, or 0.58% of GDP in January 2025, compared to 7.89 billion lei, or 0.45% of GDP in January 2024.

- The Government decides to extend the measure of capping-compensating electricity prices until July 1, 2025, and until March 31, 2026 for natural gas.

• February 28

- The motion of censure against the Ciolacu Government, initiated by AUR, SOS and POT, is rejected in Parliament.

- The BET index, of the 20 most liquid stocks on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB), rose by 3.1% in February, to 17,521 points, while the BET-BK index, the benchmark for the performance of equity investment funds, appreciated by 3.4%, to 3,301 points.

- The BET-XT index, which tracks the dynamics of the 30 most liquid stocks on our market, appreciated by 2.4%, to 1,502 points.

- Transgaz Mediaş shares increased by 18.7% last month, Romgaz shares - by 9.1%.

- Shares of energy producer and supplier Hidroelectrica fell 3.1%, while Transelectrica rose 10.7%.

- Banca Transilvania shares rose 4.2%, while BRD-Groupe Societe Generale fell 1.7%.

- Shares of all five former SIFs fell last month, causing the BET-FI index to fall 1.66% to 61,948 points.