Romania's Finance Ministry will launch the first bond issue of its planned EUR 7 billion medium term notes (MTNs) program at the end of 2010 or early 2011, according to the government’s letter of intent that will be sent to the International Monetary Fund.

Despite the crisis, Romanians started to travel by plane more often while travelers from other countries in the EU reduced the frequency of their flights. Still, Romanian travelers are below the EU level when it comes to the frequency of their flights. In Romania, in 2009, the number of flights per inhabitant was approximately 15 percent higher than in 2007, according to AT Kearney.

Romanian export-oriented manufacturing industries will continue to grow in 2011, further supporting economic recovery, whereas sectors such as retail and constructions will be negatively impacted by low consumer confidence, according to consultancy firm Roland Berger.

The most valuable 100 Romanian companies have a total market value of EUR 56 billion, almost the same as in 2009, according to a recent ranking drawn up by Romanian daily Ziarul Financiar. In 2007, the market value of the best-traded companies stood at EUR 100 billion, but in 2010 the value halved, as indicated by data with the National Companies Registry Office.

*State debt jumps to EUR 5 billion in an year, while banks' debt down by EUR 1 billion – in Ziarul Financiar
*Alro makes the profit planned for the entire year in the third quarter – in Ziarul Financiar
*More expensive drugs ups profits for Antibiotice and Zentiva – in Ziarul Financiar
*Orange offers access to news websites for EUR 2 a month – in Ziarul Financiar

Logistics operator Gefco Romania posted a turnover of EUR 22 million in the first nine months of the year, having reached a portfolio of 150 clients on the Romanian market.

The Romanian car market registered the fifth largest decline in the European Union in the first ten months of 2010, down three places to the 17th spot, in terms of new car registrations, according to the Association of European Carmakers (ACEA).

Romania had the highest annual inflation rate in the EU in October this year, of 7.9 percent, while the average in the EU was of 2.3 percent, and in the Euro zone, of 1.9 percent. The lowest level of inflation was recorded in Ireland, with minus 0.8 percent, Letonia, with 0.9 percent, Slovakia, with 1 percent. 15 EU member states saw their inflation up in October- Romania included.

Insurance company Generali posted a volume of gross subscribed premiums of EUR 78.4 million in the first nine months of the year, down 9 percent compared to the same period last year. The insurer saw however growth on its life insurance segment, with a growth of 6.4 percent.

Romania ranks 18th out of 30 countries listed in the World Bank Migration and Remittances Factbook 2011 (read the report below), with 2.8 million emigrants, close to Indonesia, with 2.5 million. The percentage of emigrants of the total population in Romania is of 13.2 percent. Romania is also among the top remittance-receiving countries, with an estimated USD 4.5 billion for this year, ranking 22nd out of 30 countries.

Romania's Finance Ministry will launch the first bond issue of its planned EUR 7 billion medium term notes (MTNs) program at the end of 2010 or early 2011, according to the government’s letter of intent that will be sent to the International Monetary Fund.

Despite the crisis, Romanians started to travel by plane more often while travelers from other countries in the EU reduced the frequency of their flights. Still, Romanian travelers are below the EU level when it comes to the frequency of their flights. In Romania, in 2009, the number of flights per inhabitant was approximately 15 percent higher than in 2007, according to AT Kearney.

Romanian export-oriented manufacturing industries will continue to grow in 2011, further supporting economic recovery, whereas sectors such as retail and constructions will be negatively impacted by low consumer confidence, according to consultancy firm Roland Berger.

The most valuable 100 Romanian companies have a total market value of EUR 56 billion, almost the same as in 2009, according to a recent ranking drawn up by Romanian daily Ziarul Financiar. In 2007, the market value of the best-traded companies stood at EUR 100 billion, but in 2010 the value halved, as indicated by data with the National Companies Registry Office.

*State debt jumps to EUR 5 billion in an year, while banks' debt down by EUR 1 billion – in Ziarul Financiar
*Alro makes the profit planned for the entire year in the third quarter – in Ziarul Financiar
*More expensive drugs ups profits for Antibiotice and Zentiva – in Ziarul Financiar
*Orange offers access to news websites for EUR 2 a month – in Ziarul Financiar

Logistics operator Gefco Romania posted a turnover of EUR 22 million in the first nine months of the year, having reached a portfolio of 150 clients on the Romanian market.

The Romanian car market registered the fifth largest decline in the European Union in the first ten months of 2010, down three places to the 17th spot, in terms of new car registrations, according to the Association of European Carmakers (ACEA).

Romania had the highest annual inflation rate in the EU in October this year, of 7.9 percent, while the average in the EU was of 2.3 percent, and in the Euro zone, of 1.9 percent. The lowest level of inflation was recorded in Ireland, with minus 0.8 percent, Letonia, with 0.9 percent, Slovakia, with 1 percent. 15 EU member states saw their inflation up in October- Romania included.

Insurance company Generali posted a volume of gross subscribed premiums of EUR 78.4 million in the first nine months of the year, down 9 percent compared to the same period last year. The insurer saw however growth on its life insurance segment, with a growth of 6.4 percent.

Romania ranks 18th out of 30 countries listed in the World Bank Migration and Remittances Factbook 2011 (read the report below), with 2.8 million emigrants, close to Indonesia, with 2.5 million. The percentage of emigrants of the total population in Romania is of 13.2 percent. Romania is also among the top remittance-receiving countries, with an estimated USD 4.5 billion for this year, ranking 22nd out of 30 countries.