Finance | 18 December, 2025 at 5:02 PM
CEE banks record 18% gain in assets between 2021 and 2024
Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia have recorded an 18% increase in banking assets between 2021 and 2024.
Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia have recorded an 18% increase in banking assets between 2021 and 2024.
Lululemon announced plans to expand into six new markets in 2026 through franchise partnerships. The athletic apparel brand will launch in Greece, Austria, Poland, Hungary, and Romania through a partnership with Arion Retail Group, as well as in India through Tata CLiQ.
Colliers has published a new report focusing on CEE, examining economic and real estate trends across Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The study shows that 2025 brought moderate economic recovery, easing inflation and rising focus on sustainability, while real estate markets were shaped by modernization, limited new office supply, strong logistics demand and retail park expansion.
Romania faces an economic maturity test, with the key question being whether it can transform current vulnerabilities into reforms and progress.
GTC reported rental revenues of €152 million in the first nine months of 2025, up 9% from €139 million in the same period of 2024. The increase followed the acquisition of a residential portfolio in Germany, which contributed €18 million, partially offset by a €4 million decrease after the sale of the GTC X and Matrix C properties.
Confidence is returning across CEE real estate markets, with investor sentiment shifting from cautious optimism to execution, according to Colliers. The region continues to demonstrate resilience, supported by moderating inflation, solid household consumption, and strong employment levels.
CEE recorded a 38% increase in real estate investments in the first three quarters of 2025, reaching over €7 billion across six major markets, according to Colliers' latest report.
Industrial developer CTP reported net rental income growth of 15.4% year-on-year to €549 million in the first nine months of 2025. The company achieved like-for-like rental growth of 4.5%, driven by indexation and lease renewals.
Shopper Park Plus, a Hungarian real estate investment company, announced plans for a secondary public offering of approximately 8 million newly issued shares in the last quarter of 2025. The company expects to raise between €90 million and €110 million through the offering on the Budapest Stock Exchange.
CEE economies have been delivering solid GDP growth, outpacing many Western European peers despite external trade uncertainties and recent inflationary pressures, according to Colliers' latest report.
Romania's hospitality industry recorded a 19% increase in turnover in the first half of 2025, the third largest advance in the European Union after Greece (35%) and Hungary (22%), according to Eurostat data cited by Colliers. Rising room rates have pushed local pricing into line with established CEE markets such as Poland and the Czech Republic, even though the number of overnight stays in hotels almost stagnated, with an increase of less than 4%.
Austrian group Lagermax Logistics has expanded its European network with the inauguration of a new, state-of-the-art logistics centre in Romania.
Premier Energy has announced the acquisition of a 51% stake and management control of Iberdrola Renovables Magyarország KFT, a subsidiary of Spanish energy giant Iberdrola.
The first half of 2025 has confirmed a strong return of investor activity in Central and Eastern Europe. The Czech Republic, with the most remarkable performance, is emerging as the regional leader, ahead of even Poland, according to the latest iO Partners report.
Romania stands out in the European fiscal landscape with property taxation levels significantly lower than the EU average, according to an analysis by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox based on Eurostat data. This position has enhanced the attractiveness of the local real estate market and established a favorable tax framework for owners and investors.
The European property market has begun to adapt to new conditions. The latest data, based on a survey in 28 countries across Europe, has clearly confirmed this, according to the 14th edition of the Deloitte Property Index.
Industrial developer CTP has announced a new partnership with Singu, the operator of a cloud-based Computer-Aided Facility Management (CAFM) platform.
Industrial developer CTP said its gross rental income for H1 2025 reached €367.2 million, marking a 14.4% year-on-year increase, while signing 1 million sqm of new leases, an 11% increase compared to H1 2024.
E.ON Energie Romania and MOL Romania have signed a deal aimed at bolstering the electric mobility infrastructure across Romania and CEE.
CPI Europe has sold assets exceeding €165 million as part of its strategy to divest lower-yielding or non-strategic assets.
Romania posted in November in the highest inflation rate in the European Union, according to statistical office Eurostat.
Romanian construction company Bog'Art has published its 2024 Sustainability Report, marking the second year the company voluntarily reports on its environmental, social and governance performance. The report demonstrates the company's commitment to transparency and sustainable development in Romania's construction industry.
Fitch Ratings has affirmed its Long-Term Issuer Default Rating of BBB- with a negative outlook for Romanian state-owned nuclear power company Nuclearelectrica.
Romania's Ministry of Finance attracted almost RON 1.5 billion (€293 million) through its 11th Fidelis government bond offering of 2025, which began trading on the Bucharest Stock Exchange.
Ebury, the global fintech specialising in international payments and FX risk management, has appointed Cosmin Bucur as its new Country Manager for Romania.