The Romanian banks hold in their portfolio Government papers (bonds and bills) worth 7% of GDP, the highest amount in Europe, and this might bring them significant losses if the interest rates are rising and the yield curve flattens, according to Florian Neagu, deputy head of the macrostability division of the National bank of Romania (BNR), quoted by Economica.net. The losses potentially incurred by banks under adverse scenarios may reach 17.6% of the portfolio of assets and liabilities sensitive to interest rates, he explained. The banking system’s profitability is high, and the solvency ratio is strong, he said, adding that all these can deteriorate under certain circumstances. In fact, the Romanian banks’ profitability (13% return on equity versus 7.6% in EU) is above the EU average, and above the profitability in the real sector, the BNR official stated. The solvency ratio (22% versus 17.1% in the EU) is also above average, and the non-performing loans ratio is still small (3.7%) even if above the EU average (2.5%). However, the solvency ratio can lose 2pp from distributing dividends, another 2pp when building up provisions next year. The losses generated by adverse developments of the interests and yield curve would come on top of these two effects.
“Catane,” a dark comedy inspired by real events and directed by Ioana Mischie, is set to have its first special screenings in Romania after a successful festival circuit. The film had its world premiere at the IFFI Goa festival in India and was nominated this year at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards for Best […]
Romania is among the European countries where water reserves are decreasing at an alarming rate, according to an analysis carried out by researchers from University College London in collaboration with The Guardian and Watershed Investigations. Scientists analyzed data from the period 2002–2024 provided by satellites that monitor changes in the Earth's...
George Smyth, 18, went missing on a hike near Romania’s famous Bran Castle more than a week ago. On November 23, the British citizen started to suffer from hypothermia and exhaustion and called the emergency services. Trying to locate him, mountain rescue services conducted searches over the next few days but were only able to […]
Over 107,000 people in Prahova and Dâmbovița counties, in southern Romania, have been without drinking water since Friday, November 28, due to problems at the Paltinu Dam. According to local authorities, the problems are set to persist until next week. The dam registered a drop in water levels, leading to problems in the water distribution system. […]
A special ‘Silent Day’ event will be held at the Bucharest Christmas Market in Constituției Square on Wednesday, December 3, aimed at creating a quieter and more accessible environment for children with sensory disabilities. The initiative is designed to make the festive market manageable for children who may struggle with loud noise, bright lights, and […]
Romanians have the highest level of trust in others in the European Union, according to the most recent Eurostat data for the year 2024, ahead of the usual leader of the ranking, Finland. The indicator ‘trust in others’ measures a person’s trust in people they do not know on a scale from 0 (‘I...
