Sergiu Manea, CEO of BCR: We are in a moment of economic inflection, and the first three months of 2026 have borne the cumulative weight of escalating geopolitical tensions, rising inflationary pressures and the disruption of global oil and gas distribution. The direct impact can be seen in the increase in risk costs, but also in the decrease in investment appetite and consumption, which are also influenced by fiscal and local political volatility.
♦ BCR reported for Q1/2026 a profit of around 600 million lei, down, with revenues increasing annually by 0.3%. And BRD obtained a profit of 369 million lei, an annual increase of 5.5%, with slightly decreasing revenues. The National Bank of Romania anticipated a further decrease in the annual dynamics of GDP in Q1/2026, probably influenced mainly by the evolution of investments. consecutive decreases in GDP.
The slowdown of the economy and inflationary pressures began to be seen in the results of the banks, the first financial figures announced for this year, for the first quarter (T1), indicating the braking of profits and incomes. The banks speak of a commercial dynamic «in moderation», of the moderation of demand and the dynamics of incomes and profits, as well as keeping costs under strict control, in a difficult, challenging economic climate, a moment of «economic inflection», to which was added the geopolitical uncertainty, amplified towards the end of the quarter by the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.
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