European Central Bank decided Thursday to lower the euro area’s benchmark interest rate to 0.15 percent from 0.25 percent, and cut the deposit rate to minus 0.1 percent from zero.
The leu closed at 4.389/4.392 per euro, slightly higher from 4.3985/4.403 per euro at Wednesday close.
The leu opened roughly flat at 4.4 to the euro and further gained ground, and traded at 4.3955/4.3975 against the euro at midday.
The central bank set the leu’s a reference rate at 4.3964 units, up 0.2% from 4.4063 units a day earlier. Against the US dollar, the leu’s indicative strengthened at a similar pace and reached 3.229 units, versus 3.2361 units in the previous session.
In the money market, overnight rates slightly fell to 1.77%-2.27% a year, from 1.88%-2.38% a year Wednesday.