The leu closed at 4.5375/4.5399 per euro, 1.11% weaker from 4.4875/4.4895 per euro Thursday.
The national currency opened down on the day at 4.5/4.45025 per euro and further depreciated, hitting a record low of 4.542 per euro in interbank trading.
The central bank set the leu’s reference rate at 4.5142 versus the euro, the lowest exchange rate to date. Against the US dollar, the leu’s indicative lost 1.8% on the day to 3.648 units, also an all-time low.
The national currency entered a downward path against the euro earlier this week, after a political squabble between Prime Minister Victor Ponta and Basescu turned into a power grab after the government moved to depose the latter. If the lawmakers vote to impeach Basescu, the latter will be suspended pending a national referendum.
Local analysts estimate the leu will trade at 4.4/4.47 against the euro in the next six months. The year-end rate is predicted at around 4.49 per euro, according to an in-house survey from the Association of Financial and Banking Analysts.
The analysts also expect the annual inflation to accelerate to 2.1% in June, from an all-time low of 1.79% a month earlier. Official inflation figures for June are due for release on July 10.