Skip to content

All sections

Economic

508 articles in this section

LanguageROEN

Economic +3

Sixteen deeptech startups chosen for Southeast Europe's first strategic tech accelerator

Techcelerator Vanguard's inaugural cohort works on cybersecurity, resilience and critical infrastructure, with access to VC, EU and NATO funding channels.

  • 16 startups and scale-ups entered the inaugural Techcelerator Vanguard cohort.
  • The programme targets cybersecurity, resilience and critical infrastructure.
  • Participants gain access to VC, EU and NATO funding opportunities.

Read

Economic -2

Oil prices fall, fuel prices rise. Romania stands alone in Europe

Petrom raised fuel prices by 5 bani per litre even as Brent crude was falling and the exchange rate offered no pressure.

  • Petrom raised petrol and diesel by 5 bani/litre with no clear market justification.
  • Brent crude was falling at the time; the exchange rate posed no significant pressure.
  • Romania appears to be an outlier in Europe, where cheaper oil has not passed through to the pump.

Read

Economic +1

BET companies: fewer employees, higher profit per head

Measuring revenue and net profit per employee across Bucharest Stock Exchange BET index companies reveals stark structural differences between industries.

  • Revenue and profit per employee vary widely across BET-listed companies.
  • Energy and banking firms lead the index on per-employee financial output.
  • Share price and headcount alone are poor proxies for operational efficiency.

Read

Economic -1

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Fold expected to cost more, Chinese sources say

Multiple sources from China's supply chain are pointing to price hikes for Apple's upcoming Pro and foldable iPhone lines, ahead of the expected September launch.

  • Chinese supply-chain sources anticipate higher prices for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Fold.
  • Both flagship models are reportedly affected, not just the Pro line.
  • Apple has not confirmed any pricing; the official launch is expected in September 2026.

Read

Economic -3

Volkswagen enters "survival mode": plant closures and 100,000 job cuts

Europe's largest carmaker is drawing up a sweeping restructuring plan that could reshape the continent's automotive industry.

  • Volkswagen plans to cut up to 100,000 jobs as part of a sweeping restructuring.
  • Multiple factories across the group are set to close under the plan.
  • The VW plant in Craiova, a major Romanian employer, could face uncertainty.

Read

Economic +3

Transylvania Motorway to end Zalău's isolation

Dozens of kilometres of new motorway and a major tunnel are set to link the Sălaj county seat to both Cluj-Napoca and Oradea by 2027.

  • Zalău, currently cut off from Romania's motorway network, is set to be connected via the Transylvania Motorway by 2027.
  • The project covers dozens of kilometres of new road and includes a large tunnel through a mountain massif.
  • Motorway access could trigger industrial and logistics investment in Sălaj county.

Read

Economic +2

Romania's Energy Ministry paid out over €110 million in PNRR funds in 2026

Energy sector beneficiaries have received significant EU recovery funds this year, even as Romania remains without a fully empowered government.

  • Romania's Energy Ministry surpassed €110 million in PNRR disbursements in 2026.
  • Payments continued even during the caretaker government period, with limited executive powers.
  • No details were released on individual projects or the progress of funded works.

Read

Economic +2

Electrica secures €1M EU grant for energy storage at Vulturu plant

The non-reimbursable funding comes through the Modernisation Fund and will finance construction of a storage facility at the Vulturu power plant.

  • Electrica secured 4.9 million lei in non-reimbursable EU grants via the Modernisation Fund.
  • The funding targets construction of an energy storage facility at CEF Vulturu.
  • Key technical details — capacity, technology and timeline — were not disclosed.

Read

Economic -1

Romania's mandatory pension fund: one account holds €750k, a fifth have under €370

An ASF report on the first quarter of 2026 reveals sharp inequality among the eight million-plus contributors to Romania's second-pillar pension funds.

  • Pillar II total assets reached 212.6 billion lei in March 2026.
  • The largest single account held 3.72 million lei; 20% of participants had under 1,834 lei.
  • The average balance of 25,215 lei masks deep inequality across contributors.

Read

Economic +2

Romanian social entrepreneurship moves from promises to ecosystem

The "Enterprising for Tomorrow" conference sparked a deeper question: how mature is Romania's social entrepreneurship sector today?

  • Romanian social entrepreneurship is shifting from isolated initiatives to more resilient structures.
  • Dependence on short-term EU funding remains the sector's main vulnerability.
  • Collaboration networks between organizations have grown denser compared to five years ago.

Read