Friday, the leu closed at 4.364/4.366 per euro.
The currency opened down at 4.37/4.3725 versus the euro and further depreciated, hitting the day’s low of 4.396 per euro in the afternoon. Market participants said the central bank might have stepped in to keep the leu from weakening too much.
The central bank set the leu’s reference at 4.3877 to the euro, 0.6% weaker on the day. Against the US dollar, the leu’s reference lost 0.4% to 3.2625 units.
In the money market, overnight rates rose to 6.5%-7% a year, from 6%-6.5% a year Friday as banks sought additional funds to pay for the treasury bonds bought at a debt sale last week.