The breakdown shows that the balance of goods had a deficit of EUR23 billion in the first nine months of 2024, higher by EUR2.84 billion compared to the same period of 2023, and the surplus on the balance of services shrank by EUR1.34 billion on the year to EUR8.7 billion.
In terms of services, the telecommunications, computer and information services ended the first nine months of 2024 with the highest surplus, of EUR4.5 billion, similar with the level reported in the same interval of 2023. The transport sector had a surplus of EUR3.6 billion and the deficit in the tourism-travel sector widened to EUR3.5 billion.
The primary income balance, which includes compensation of employees, investment income (direct investment, portfolio investment, other investment) and other primary income (taxes, subsidies), recorded a deficit of EUR6.7 billion, lower by EUR66 million on the year.
The secondary income balance, which includes current private transfers and transfers of the general government, generated a surplus of EUR1.3 billion in January-September 2024, higher by EUR402 million year-over-year.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) stood at EUR5.36 billion in January-September 2024, compared with EUR5.17 billion in the same period of 2023. Of the overall FDI, equity stakes (including estimated net reinvestment of earnings) amounted to a net EUR4.28 billion, while intra-group lending reached a net value of EUR1.07 billion, the data showed.
Romania’s total external debt (public and private) increased by EUR17.8 million in January-September 2024 versus December 31, 2023, standing at EUR186.1 billion, central bank also showed on Nov 13. Of the total volume, the external debt stood at EUR138 billion, higher by EUR16.9 billion, and intercompany lending at EUR48.1 billion, higher than EUR47.3 billion on December 31, 2023. Long-term external debt stood at EUR138.8 billion on September 30, 2024, accounting for 74.6% of the total external debt, up 13.7% versus December 31, 2023. Short-term external debt stood at EUR47.3 billion (accounting for 25.4% of the total external debt) on September 30, 2024, up 2.4% compared to the level on December 31, 2023.
Long-term external debt service ratio stood at 16.3% in September 2024 against 18% in 2023. On September 30, 2024, goods and services import cover stood at 6.1 months, as compared to 5.6 months on December 31, 2023.
On September 30, 2024, the ratio of the National Bank of Romania’s foreign exchange reserves to short-term external debt by remaining maturity came in at 110.4%, as against 99.7% on December 31, 2023.