Economists had expected Chairman Ben Bernanke would point to more immediate measures to fuel growth, but the official only said the US central bank was prepared to take additional steps if necessary. Fitch’s decision to downgrade Spain’s credit rating by three notches to BBB also added to the negative sentiment on the markets.
The bourse’s composite index BET-C closed down 17.45 points or 0.69%, while the main index BET declined 44.37 points or 1%.
The BET-FI index, which tracks the five regional investment funds SIFs and Fondul Proprietatea (FP.RO), shed 214.1 points or 1.07% after a 2.59% increase Thursday, while the wider BET-XT index was down 4.11 points or 1.01%.
Energy tracker BET-NG inched up half a point or 0.09%.
Overall trading in Bucharest was RON16.9 million (EUR3.8 million), slightly below RON17.8 million a day earlier.
Austria’s Erste Group Bank AG (EBS.RO) was top-traded issuer with deals worth RON3.9 million, or 23% of total. The lender lost 0.47% at RON64 a share.
Other active issuers include Fondul Proprietatea, which closed down 1.44% at RON0.479 a share, and local lender BRD, which lost 1.31% at RON8.29 a share. (EUR1=RON4.461)