Southeast Europe / Data
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.
Akbank launches spring syndicated loan renewals season for Turkish banks at better costs
Benefits of Turkey’s so-called economic normalisation policy clearly observed in external debt rollovers.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Bulgaria’s retail sales up 0.9% m/m in February
Year on year, retail sales increased by 3.2%, after falling by 0.1% in January.
Turkey manufacturing recorded at 50.0 neutral mark by March PMI
If demand trend continues, growth-building momentum could be seen in second quarter.
Romania's March PMI industrial outlook index rises on positive expectations
Index up to 49.3 points in March as managers become more optimistic based on growth expectations, past investments and product diversification.
Bosnia’s GDP growth slows to 1.7% y/y in 4Q23
World Bank expects annual growth of 2.5% this year, down from 4% in 2023.
Labour costs in Western Europe still four times higher than in Romania and Bulgaria
Bulgaria has the EU's lowest labour cost, while Romania still lags well behind Poland and Hungary.
Bank lending loses steam in Romania
The annual increase of the stock of bank loans in Romania has eased gradually from 6.4% y/y in December to 5.7% y/y in January and 4.9% y/y in February.
Romania's GDP per capita surpassed Hungary's in 2023
Romania has been catching up with the EU average faster than Hungary, which fell into recession in 2023.
Where water stress will be highest by 2050
Water is not only the basis of life for animals and plants but is also likely to become a contested resource in parts of the world in the coming decades, reports Statista.
Moldova’s central bank cuts policy rate by 50bp
National Bank of Moldova said decision aims “to slow down the decrease in inflation”.
Turkey dazzles market with additional 500bp rate hike to 50%
Central bank also widens spread in overnight lending channel. Authority has been pushing local banks to borrow from the funding facility.
Romania’s construction index plunges by 14.8% y/y in January
Slump was deepest for residential construction segment.
Southeast Europe’s major cities are emptying out
Eurostat data shows fall in populations of biggest urban areas in Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania in last five years.
Moldova’s GDP up 0.7% y/y in 2023 thanks to farmers
Aside from agriculture, most key sectors are still shrinking and the war in neighbouring Ukraine has delayed structural reforms.
Three billion people will live in uninhabitable zones by 2070
It's predicted that 3bn people will live in zones that have been made uninhabitable (black areas) by 2070, say scientists.