The international exchange of goods generated a deficit of almost EUR21 billion in the analyzed period, EUR6.6 billion higher than in the year-ago period, the same data show.
The services balance recorded a surplus of EUR8 billion in January-August 2022, higher by EUR2.3 billion than in January-August 2021, with the transport segment seeing a surplus of EUR3.4 billion and the telecom and information services reporting a surplus of EUR3.3 billion.
However, the tourism-travel segment saw a deficit of EUR1.4 billion.
The primary income balance, which includes compensation of employees, investment income (direct investment, portfolio investment, other investment) and other primary income (taxes, subsidies), generated a deficit of EUR5.2 billion in January-August 2022, higher by EUR2.4 billion than in the same period of 2021.
The secondary income balance, which includes current private transfers and transfers of the general government, generated a surplus of EUR1.3 billion, higher by EUR546 million than in the year-ago period.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) stood at EUR6.47 billion in January-August 2022, compared with EUR4.42 billion in the same period in 2021. Of the overall FDI, equity stakes (including estimated net reinvestment of earnings) amounted to a net EUR4.2 billion, while intra-group lending reached a net value of EUR2.27 billion, the data showed.
Romania’s total external debt (public and private) increased by EUR5.1 billion to EUR141.7 billion in January-August 2022. Long-term debt stood at EUR96.3 billion on August 31, 2022, accounting for 68% of the total external debt, down 1.2% versus December 31, 2021. Short-term debt reached EUR45.3 billion at the end of August 2022, accounting for 32% of the total external debt, up 16% versus December 31, 2021. Long-term external debt service ratio was 15.2% in January-August 2022 compared with 17% in 2021.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)