National Bank of Romania maintains key interest rate at 6.5%

The National Bank of Romania (BNR) has decided to maintain its key interest rate at 6.50% per annum. This decision follows a significant decline in annual inflation, which dropped to 6.17% in August from 10.42% in June. However, the central bank warned that inflation could return to an upward trajectory by the end of the year due to rising costs for energy, fuel, and raw materials, as well as exchange rate fluctuations.

In the foreign exchange market, the Romanian leu has faced pressure, with the euro reaching a record high of approximately 5.35 lei. While the leu saw a very slight appreciation in recent sessions, the overall trend shows increased volatility against the euro.

Separately, the Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF) reported that private pension assets in Romania grew by nearly 40% in the first half of 2026, reaching 246.2 billion lei. This represents approximately 12.35% of the country's GDP, signaling the growing importance of private pension funds in the national financial architecture.