The leu closed at 4.566/4.5685 to the euro, little changed from 4.565/4.568 to the euro Friday.
It opened slightly higher at 4.563/4.565 to the euro and strengthened to 4.552 to the euro in early action. In the afternoon, the leu lost part of its gains and hit the day’s low of 4.5685 to the euro toward closing.
The leu’s exchange rate weakened to fresh historic lows of 4.5571 versus the euro and of 3.7399 versus the greenback. Friday, the reference rates were at 4.5495 per euro and at 3.7274 per US dollar.
Romania’s currency lost over 2% versus the euro in the past two weeks, after a political row between Prime Minister Victor Ponta and President Traian Basescu ended in the latter’s suspension by parliament pending a referendum.
The leu is bound to recover to below 4.5 per euro after the referendum is held at the end of July and the political scene returns to normal, Finance Minister Florin Georgescu said earlier Monday.
In the money market, overnight rates rose to 2.3%-2.8% a year, from 1.7%-2.2% a year Friday.