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7 clusters · 16 sources · 93 days · First seen 3 months ago · Last updated 7 days ago

Albanian lek appreciation vs euro

Overview

By mid-August 2026, the euro reached a new historic low against the Albanian lek, closing at 92.85 lek per euro. This represents a 4.1% depreciation of the euro since the start of the year and a 4.4% decline compared to the same period in 2025. Analysts attribute this continued downward trend to several factors. The peak tourism season has significantly increased foreign currency inflows, supported by a 6.2% rise in foreign arrivals during the first six months of the year. Furthermore, the Bank of Albania reported that the current account deficit fell to 228 million euros in the first quarter, a 28% year-on-year decrease. Foreign direct investment also reached a record 404 million euros for the period, marking an 11.6% increase. While official data links these fluctuations to trade and service exchanges, there is public perception that informal activities and large-scale real estate investments also influence currency inflows. Despite the Bank of Albania having withdrawn approximately €2.2 billion from the market since early 2024 to stabilize the rate, the increased currency supply continues to put upward pressure on the lek. By late August, the lek's appreciation continued, with the exchange rate reaching a low of 92.76 lek per euro. The Bank of Albania reported that domestic currency trading volumes hit a record high in the second quarter, reaching nearly 4.5 billion euros, a 30% increase year-on-year. Additionally, the annual growth of the M2 monetary aggregate reached a historic high of 15.9% at the end of June, driven by high rates of economic lending and central bank interventions. Recent developments indicate a surge in credit demand, with the private sector credit portfolio expanding by 14% year-on-year in the second quarter. Businesses reportedly utilized 61.7% of these funds for investments and capacity expansion.

Entities

Bank of Albania · Euro · Albania · Albanian Lek · INSTAT

Timeline

7 days ago

[BUSINESS] 6 sources
Albania economy sees rising credit and record Lek strength
Albania's economy shows strong growth with a 14% rise in private credit and a historic strengthening of the Lek against the Euro, driven by high tourism volumes and increased foreign exchange trading.
14 days ago

[BUSINESS] 2 sources
Euro hits historic low against Albanian Lek
The Euro has hit a historic low against the Albanian Lek, trading at 92.85. The decline is linked to increased tourism inflows and record-high foreign direct investment in Albania.
18 days ago

[BUSINESS] 5 sources
Euro hits historic low against Albanian Lek at 93.07
The Euro has hit a historic low against the Albanian Lek, falling to 93.07 per Euro due to tourism inflows and increased demand for the local currency.
about 1 month ago

[BUSINESS] 3 sources
Euro hits record low against Albanian lek as exchange rate falls to 93.64
The euro fell to a record low of 93.64 lek as Albania’s central bank buys euros to bolster reserves, a stronger lek easing imports but hurting exporters and tourism.
2 months ago

[BUSINESS] 2 sources
Albanian lek hits historic low as euro drops to 94.6 lek
Albania's euro‑lek rate fell to a historic 94.62, driven by tourism, remittances and real‑estate inflows, despite central bank euro purchases and a strong fiscal surplus.
3 months ago

[BUSINESS] 2 sources
Albanian lek reaches historic low as euro trades near 95 per unit
The euro fell to a historic 95.29 lek as the Albanian central bank bought about €2 billion to curb the lek’s depreciation; other rates: dollar ~81.5‑82.5, franc ~103‑104, pound ~109‑110 per lek.
3 months ago

[BUSINESS] 2 sources
Albanian lek hits record low against euro at 95.32
Albania’s euro‑lek rate fell to a historic low of 95.32 amid abundant euro supply and central‑bank buying.

Sources

abcnews.al · albeu.com · albinfo.ch · businessmag.al · freesmi.by · gazeta.mk · gazetaimpakt.com · hashtag.al · hcvillars1908.ch · javanews.al · monitor.al · orainfo.net · rtsh.al · shekulli.com.al · standard.al · veriu.info

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history