The central bank’s Board also decided to leave the (Lombard) lending facility rate at 7.5% per year and the deposit facility rate unchanged at 5.5%, respectively, in its fourth monetary policy meeting of 2026, the central bank said in its statement regarding monetary policy decisions.
The key rate has been unchanged at 6.5% since August 2024.
The bank also decided to maintain the existing levels of minimum reserve requirement ratios on both leu- and foreign currency-denominated liabilities of credit institutions.
Most analysts had expected Romaia’s central bank to take this step and estimate the key rate will remain at the same level throughout 2026. In the current macroeconomic context, interest cuts previously expected to start in the second half of the year have been postponed for the summer of 2027.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)