The leu closed at 4.4705/4.4739 to the euro, from 4.4655/4.4665 to the euro at Thursday closing.
According to dealers, the depreciation pressure may have come amid an uncertain political background, with the recent disputes between the new government led by Victor Ponta and incumbent president Traian Basescu.
The leu opened at 4.4655/4.4675 to the euro, similar to Thursday closing levels and stayed down versus the euro throughout the session.
Romania’s central bank set the leu’s reference rate at 4.4655 per euro, slightly lower from 4.4635 per euro in the previous day, and close to the all-time high of 4.6662 per euro, reached on May 24.
On the money market, overnight rates increased to 1.5%-2% a year, from 1.1%-1.6% a year Thursday, the banks already preparing for setting up the minimum compulsory reserves requested by the central bank.