Romania
“Richard Branson-backed” hyperloop startup seeks funding on Bucharest's SeedBlink
Swisspod Technologies, co-founded by Romanian Denis Tudor, is developing a fully-electric capsule that travels at near-sonic speeds.
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Premier Energy announces €125mn IPO in Bucharest to boost renewables portfolio
Bucharest Stock Exchange becomes increasingly attractive for investors after last year's Hidroelectrica IPO.
AI and cybersecurity to drive CEE tech sector
PwC and CEE Digital Coalition believe the Central and Eastern Europe region has the potential to create the EU’s Silicon Valley.
Ford drives hike in car production in Romania
Romania’s automobile production increased by 7% y/y to more than 150,000 units in Q1.
US investor to build $1bn magnesium mining complex in Romania
First European magnesium mining project in a decade will ease continent's reliance on imports from China.
CEE falling inflation trend comes to an end
After spiking to 20-year highs thanks to the pandemic and Europe’s Russian induced energy crisis, inflation rates across the EU have tumbled in recent months. That trend has ended and CEE central banks are expected to hike rates again in 2H24.
COMMENT: The Three Seas Initiative's digital imperative
While digital infrastructure in the region is growing, support infrastructure designed to handle the growth in demand is what requires investment.
IEA: Methane emissions at an all-time high need to be reduced by 75% by 2030 at a cost of $170bn
Methane emissions are 80 times more damaging than carbon dioxide. Rather than falling, they are currently at an all-time high and rising. The IEA says they need to fall by 75% by 2030 if the Paris Accord targets are going to be met.
The EU is preparing a new, fourteenth package of sanctions
The EU is preparing a new fourteenth package of sanctions that is slated for adoption in the coming months, but is unlikely to introduce any new products and will focus mostly on enforcing the existing thirteen rounds of sanctions.
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US Treasury Secretary won’t rule out tariffs on China’s green exports, EU launches probe
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, while visiting China, said she will not rule out more tariffs on China’s green exports such as solar products and electric vehicles.
Where Nato has an enhanced forward presence
On Monday, 8 April, Germany sent an advance team of 20 soldiers to Lithuania, laying the groundwork for the recently discussed establishment of a permanent brigade in the Nato country, Statista reports.
Levels of the three most dangerous human-caused GHGs at record highs
Concentrations of CO2, methane and nitrous oxide climbed to record levels in the global atmosphere in 2023, contributing ever more to the climate crisis. This is according to scientists from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Europe exits the winter heating season with record gas stocks
The EU has exited the heating season with a record volume of gas in storage, following another mild winter and as a result of reduced industrial demand and a concerted effort by policymakers to boost stockpiles.
Grid bottlenecks on the way in Europe?
A new analysis by the energy think-tank Ember has found that several countries in Europe could soon face bottlenecks in their national transmission energy grids, as more solar and wind power will be generated than these networks have capacity for.
Leading emerging markets move rapidly up World Bank’s PPP GDP and FDI confidence rankings
The world’s leading Emerging Markets are moving rapidly up the World Bank’s latest GDP rankings in PPP (purchase power parity) terms as well as the annual foreign direct investment confidence ranking.
Summer starts as EU gas tanks start to fill again
Winter is over, as the EU gas tanks switch from withdrawals to filling mode again in preparation for next winter. Injection into the gas tanks started on April 1, a week earlier than in 2023 and started at an all-time high record level of 59.3% full.
Romania holds policy rate at 7%
Inflation is expected to continue decline, but still unclear if central bank will launch monetary easing cycle in May.
Banca Transilvania launches Romania's first neobank
Salt Bank was created on the foundations of Idea Bank, which was taken over by Banca Transilvania.
Romanian bank analysts don't expect rate cut before May
Ahead of BNR rate-setting meeting, BCR and ING analysts say they expect no change in April but policy rate to be reduced to 5.75-7% by end-2024.
Southeast Europe urgently recruiting from developing Asia ahead of summer season
One of Europe’s poorest regions is tackling labour shortages by importing workers from as far away as Bangladesh, India and Nepal.