Finance
Romania sees surge in large company insolvencies
Romania's Q1 of 2026 marks a shift in economic pressure from small businesses to larger companies with significant economic impact.
Premier Restaurants Romania, the operator of McDonald's restaurants in Romania, has launched a national recruitment campaign as part of its expansion plans. The company aims to create over 500 new jobs in 2026, with more than 1,400 positions planned over the next three years.
Sphera Franchise Group, Romania's largest food service group, reported consolidated sales of €75.6 million in Q1 2026, up 4.2% compared to the same period last year. Growth was driven by the return to positive performance of KFC Romania and the strong evolution of Taco Bell.
The European Commission (EC) has finalised the signing of the SAFE loan agreement with Romania.
Hidroelectrica has signed a contract for the turnkey development of the Tudor Vladimirescu Photovoltaic Power Plant in Brăila County, marking a step in the company's strategy to diversify its renewable energy generation portfolio.
Banca Transilvania (BT) said its consolidated net profit reached RON 1.14 billion lei (€228 million) in Q1, representing a 30.1% increase compared to the same period last year. Total assets for the group expanded to RON 227 billion lei (€45.4 billion) as the institution neared the milestone of five million active customers.
Vastint Romania has announced a new leasing contract with Arcadis Romania, which will occupy 1,183 sqm in building A of Business Garden Bucharest. The global design, engineering and consultancy company joins a growing community of international tenants at the development.
Hidroelectrica signed a €188.5 million contract for the refurbishment of Râul Mare Retezat Hydropower Plant. The project aims to modernize and improve the efficiency of the company's generation capacities.
E.ON has successfully issued two tranches of green bonds worth €1.3 billion, bringing its total funding since the beginning of the year to €4.3 billion.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Europe declined in 2025, marking a period of slowdown and structural transformation of the investment landscape.
IT Genetics, a Romanian provider of integrated professional IT solutions, began trading today on the AeRO market of the BVB under the ticker symbol ITG.
TotalSoft, a global provider of software solutions for business operations management, is expanding its presence in the Republic of Moldova through a partnership with local company NetSafe.
eMAG Group announces investments of €300 million for the next fiscal year and accelerates online commerce development through AI.
Small and mid-sized retailers lost approximately €3.2 million in profit over the past year due to inventory errors, according to internal data from Selectsoft, a Romanian provider of ERP solutions for SMEs.
MedLife Group has implemented an advanced integrated robotic neurosurgery system at MedLife Polisano Hospital in Sibiu, following an investment of over €2 million.
Consumer products brands are shifting from competing for visibility to competing for algorithmic selection, according to an EY report.
The Galați Court has approved the modified asset recovery plan for Liberty Galați, paving the way for the auction of one of Romania's most important industrial assets to resume.
Nuclearelectrica has completed the first continuous concrete pour for the permanent structures of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 refurbishment project. The operation used approximately 3,470 cubic metres of concrete for the foundation, equivalent to about 380 concrete mixer trucks.
Digi Communications reported consolidated revenues of €583 million in Q1 2026, a 10% year-on-year increase. At the same time, adjusted EBITDA (excluding IFRS 16 impact) reached €161.2 million, up 15% compared to Q1 2025.
At Bucharest Business Forum 2026, the closing panel brought together senior executives from residential, logistics, and asset management to explore how Romania can unlock its next phase of growth. Moderated by Ana Dumitrache, CEO, Olympian Parks, the discussion ranged from unlearning old market reflexes and rethinking “location,” to the disruptive impact of AI and the structural gaps still holding Romania back versus peers like Poland. Despite working in different segments, the speakers converged on a few core themes: long‑term value over short‑term volume, community and quality over simple density, and disciplined governance as the missing ingredient for Romania's full potential.
MAS has concluded binding agreements for the disposal of retail assets in Romania and Bulgaria worth €251.2 million, as part of its strategy to redeploy capital into opportunities with superior long-term returns.
Nhood Romania has supported the opening of Urbano Shopping & Living, developed by Urbano Group in Florești, Cluj County, with a €40 million investment in the first phase.
The Bucharest office market is showing early signs of recovery, driven by a visible increase in pre-lease transactions, highlighting renewed occupier appetite for future office spaces. As tenants secure their leases well in advance, the current development pipeline exceeding 215,600 sqm, the highest level in recent years, is expected to be gradually absorbed, according to data from Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.
Property Forum is proud to present the sixth edition of its annual publication recognising the 50 most influential people shaping Romania's real estate market. Over the years, this ranking has become a reflection of an industry that continues to grow in scale, sophistication and international relevance. The publication, together with all other regional editions, is now available on the Property Forum website.
Falling mortgage rates in Romania have pushed monthly loan payments below average rent for the first time in recent years, according to analysis by online mortgage broker Ipotecare.ro.
CPI Property Group (CPIPG) announced that its subsidiary, CPI Europe, has secured €100 million financing for the Sun Plaza shopping mall based in Bucharest.
Fondul Proprietatea has exercised its pre-emption right and subscribed to 5.6 million new shares in National Company Administrația Porturilor Maritime (CNAPM), investing €10.8 million to maintain its existing shareholding percentage.
Romania's central bank has decided to maintain its key policy interest rate at 6.5% per year, following a meeting of the National Bank of Romania's (BNR) board of directors on Friday.
Fitch Ratings has upgraded CEC Bank's Long-Term Issuer Default Rating from BB to BB+ with a Stable Outlook, following the publication of Fitch's updated Bank Rating Criteria on 8 May 2026.
Romania's Ministry of Finance has launched a public consultation for the TechUp Romania funding scheme, designed to support investments in research and development of advanced technologies with production capabilities.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has signed an agreement with Vienna Insurance Group (VIG) to acquire approximately 10% of the shares of Carpathia Pensii, a Romanian private pension company.
Romania's Ministry of Finance will launch the fifth edition of its Fidelis government bond programme from 8-15 May 2026, offering tax-free yields of up to 7.50% for lei-denominated bonds and up to 6.25% for euro-denominated issues.
The Romanian leu depreciated on Wednesday against the euro, which was calculated by the National Bank of Romania (BNR) at RON 5.2688, up 0.97% from the previous rate, recording a new historic high.
Raiffeisen Bank Romania concluded Q1 2026 with a net profit of RON 367 million (€73.4 million), a decrease of 12.2% versus Q1 2025.
CPI Property Group (CPIPG) announced that its subsidiary, CPI Europe, has secured €100 million financing for the Sun Plaza shopping mall based in Bucharest.
Romanian construction activity increased by over 6% in the first two months of 2026, following a record 2025, and remained the country's only major economic sector showing growth in April, according to Colliers analysis based on Eurostat data.
