Romania recorded a current account deficit of EUR 2.06 billion in the first half of this year, the figure being almost seven times higher than the one registered in the same period of 2015, when the deficit stood at EUR 374 million, according to data from Romania's National Bank (BNR).

Both the goods balance and the primary income balance recorded higher deficits, by EUR 1.11 billion and EUR 1.06 billion, respectively. Meanwhile, the surpluses of the services balance and the secondary income balance remained at levels close to those registered in the first six months of last year.

The non-residents’ direct investment in Romania totaled EUR 2.04 billion in the first six months of the year, of which equity (including reinvested net profits) amounted to EUR 1.56 billion, and the intra-group loans recorded a net value of EUR 475 million.

Romania’s long-term external debt reached EUR 68.9 billion at the end of June (78.1% of total external debt), down 2.5% from the level reported at end-2015. Meanwhile, the short-term external debt stayed flat at EUR 19.34 billion.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com