International rating agency Fitch has upgraded the Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) of UniCredit Bank Romania (UCBRO) to BBB from BB+, with a stable outlook, and its short-term individual default rating (IDR) to F2, from B. The viability rating (VR) has been affirmed at bb. The two-notch upgrade of UCBRO's IDRs reflects the upgrade of its parent UniCredit S.p.A on 17 December 2021 and Fitch's decision to equalise the ratings of the Romanian subsidiary with those of the parent. The rating agency says that UCBRO's standalone credit profile has improved since the last review, but remains slightly weaker than larger domestic peers, in particular, due to a still higher impaired loan ratio, weaker profitability and moderately weaker overall franchise, with the latter impacting our assessment of the bank's business profile. UCBRO is a mid-sized (fifth-largest by assets) Romanian bank, accounting for around 8.0% of sector assets, 7.5% deposits and 8.6% loans at end-1H21.
In the absence of current negative influences, Romania’s economy could have an annual growth potential of 3-4%. Political instability and global geopolitical risks are dampening growth. Economic growth in 2024 was driven by wage increases and accelerating consumption, satisfied however largely through imports. Due to a decline in domestic economic competitiveness, net exports contributed negatively […]
The Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) announced on Thursday, March 13, the launch of a new financial education section on the BVB Research Hub platform, dedicated to retail investors. The capital market operator said that it started this project out of the need to increase the level of financial education and promote the investment culture. It […]
The Romanian governing coalition's presidential candidate, Crin Antonescu, announced on Thursday, March 13, that he is launching a podcast designed to popularize his candidacy before the May elections. Antonescu, who is backed by the alliance made up of the Liberals (PNL), Social Democrats (PSD), the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians (UDMR), and the minorities, stated that he will […]
Some 4,500 teachers will learn about rights and responsibilities online, accessibility, inclusion, online well-being, and ethics as part of Incubatorul Civic Digital (ICD - The Civic Digital Incubator), a digital citizenship and democratic culture project implemented by Institutul Intercultural Timișoara, Asociația TechSoup and Școala de Valori. The project, which offers free training, is aimed at […]
Mihaela Murariu, Attorney at Law at Grecu Partners Business Law Firm, analyzes the impact of Artificial Intelligence on personal data protection. Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a ubiquitous technology, used in more and more fields, from marketing and healthcare to recruitment and financial services. However, the widespread use of AI raises numerous questions about privacy […]
Starting next week, the gardens and interior of the presidential Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest will be open to visitors every weekend, from Friday to Sunday. Interim president Ilie Bolojan announced the initiative, emphasizing it as a gesture of respect and openness from the Presidential Administration. “Every weekend, from Friday to Sunday, this entire area, including […]
