Romanian leu steadies amid modest gold price rise

After four consecutive sessions of depreciation, the Romanian leu edged higher on Thursday as risk appetite improved following a cease‑fire agreement in southern Lebanon, which could pave the way for a broader US‑Iran armistice. The leu traded in the 5.255–5.259 lei range, up from the previous session’s 5.26 ceiling, while the single‑currency rate slipped marginally from 5.2592 to 5.2581 lei.

Domestic liquidity remained ample and interbank rates stayed close to the deposit facility rate of 5.50% (effective August 2024). The three‑month ROBOR index held at 5.84%, the six‑month at 5.91%, and the 12‑month at 5.97%.

Gold prices in the local market rose, with the gram climbing from 647.5312 lei to 650.3914 lei as the metal appreciated to between $4.423 and $4.485 per ounce. The US dollar fell to 1.1595, the euro recovered to 1.1637, the Swiss franc hovered near 0.92 franc/euro, and the pound slipped from 6.0899 to 6.0777 lei. Cryptocurrency values continued to decline, with Bitcoin trading between $61,400 and $64,682 and Ethereum between $1,722 and $1,817.