COVID-19 and Trump’s indifference helped human rights abusers in 2020
Durov rejects Western funds’ offer to buy 5%-10% of Telegram with $30bn valuation
Belarusian government sees $2bn of withdrawals, issues $580mn worth of bonds in 2020
Lukashenko: I am no enemy of the people
One of Russia’s biggest wood product companies, Segezha could be Sistema’s next IPO
The volume of the Russian National Wealth Fund tops $183.93bn as gold overtakes dollar asset for first time
New Ukrainian VC firm QPDigital aims to invest up to $100 million in digital startups
EBRD investments reach record €11bn in pandemic-struck 2020
FPRI BMB Ukraine: Most Ukrainians are optimistic about 2021 – poll
OUTLOOK 2021 Lithuania
EBRD says loan to Estonia’s controversial Porto Franco project was never disbursed
Estonian premier quits after Tallinn development scandal
Top Centre Party official suspected of corruption in Tallinn real estate scandal
Czech Pirates and Mayors approve final coalition agreement for 2021 elections
OUTLOOK 2021 Czechia
BRICKS & MORTAR: Rosier future beckons for CEE retailers after year of change and disruption
Romanian tech entrepreneurs expand into banking sector
OUTLOOK 2021 Hungary
Hungarian government remains silent after Capitol riots
Storming parliaments: New Europe's greatest hits
World Bank expects modest recovery for Europe and Central Asia in 2021
FDI inflows to CEE down 58% in 1H20 but rebound expected
OUTLOOK 2021 Slovakia
Slovakia to invest €1.2bn in digitisation
BALKAN BLOG: The controversial recipe for building up Albania
Heavy flooding causes chaos in parts of Southeast Europe
Vodafone Albania plans €100mn infrastructure investments after AbCom merger
OUTLOOK 2021 Albania
Kyiv accuses Bosnian President Dodik of lying about icon gifted to Russian foreign minister
Bosnia’s real GDP contracts 6.3% y/y in 3Q20
Sofia-based LAUNCHub Ventures holds first close of new fund on €44mn
ING THINK: Growth in the Balkans: from zero to hero again?
OUTLOOK 2020 Bulgaria
Labour demand down 28% y/y in Croatia in 2020
Zagreb Stock Exchange's Crobex10 index at highest level since March 5
OUTLOOK 2021 Kosovo
Arrera Automobili aims to launch Albania’s first supercar
World Bank revises projection for Moldova’s 2020 GDP decline to 7.2%
Moldova’s PM resigns to prepare the ground for early elections
Socialist lawmakers in Moldova scrap settlement on $1bn bank frauds
Montenegro’s new ruling coalition carves up top state jobs
OUTLOOK 2021 Montenegro
Vast tide of floating waste threatens Balkan hydropower plants
North Macedonia's manufacturing confidence indicator down by 8.5 pp y/y in December
OUTLOOK 2021 North Macedonia
Transparency International warns of high corruption risk in CEE defence sectors
Moldova fears flooding from Ukraine's planned Dniester hydropower plants
Romania’s industrial recovery paused in November
OUTLOOK 2021 Serbia
Slovenia’s government to release funds to news agency STA after EU pressure
UK Moneyhub picks Slovenia for post-Brexit European base
Slovenia’s dire COVID-19 situation in 4Q20 caused second economic dip
Slovenia’s Eligma completes €4mn funding round
Turkish opposition leader lawsuit demands one lira from Erdogan, police probe “bald” interior minister posts
Akbank takes over Istanbul's Palladium Atasehir shopping mall
OUTLOOK 2021 Armenia
Armenia’s PM cautions conflict with Azerbaijan “still not settled” after trilateral meeting with Putin
COMMENT: Record high debt levels will slow post-coronavirus recovery, threaten some countries' financial stability, says IIF
Russia, Kazakhstan pushing for oil production increases on the back of coronavirus vaccine-fuelled oil price optimism
OUTLOOK 2021 Georgia
Georgia’s political kingpin Bidzina Ivanishvili quits politics
Modern-day “Robin Hood” inspires Georgians drowning in debt
Iran’s navy conducts missile drill while analyst argues Trump even capable of nuclear strike in final days
TEHRAN BLOG: Who’s more credible? Johnson backing Trump’s Nobel chances or Iran applauding arrest warrant for US president?
Central Asia vaccination plans underwhelm, but governments look unruffled
Fears of authoritarianism as Kyrgyz populist wins landslide and backing for ‘Khanstitution’
OUTLOOK 2021 Kyrgyzstan
Mongolia's winter dzud set to be one of most extreme on record says Red Cross
Mongolian coal exports to China paralysed as Beijing demands virus testing of truck drivers
Mongolia fears economic damage as country faces up to its first local transmissions of coronavirus
Mongolia in lockdown after suffering first local coronavirus transmissions
OUTLOOK 2021 Tajikistan
China business briefing: Not happy with Kyrgyzstan
OUTLOOK 2021 Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan: How the Grinch stole New Year
Turkmenistan: The dammed united
COMMENT: Uzbekistan is being transformed, but where are the democratic reforms?
OUTLOOK 2021 Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan’s Makro positions itself for growth in a more competitive market
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IntelliNews Pro has been a trusted resource since 1999 for emerging market business and finance professionals engaged in the markets of Eastern Europe, Eurasia, MENA region and Africa. Users have direct access to locally based analysts to answer questions or gain insight into those markets.
Question: Hello - did you see Isarescu commenting on a potential ideal gap between the policy rate and inflation during the Q&A pls?
Answers: Hello, indeed Isarescu touched this topic. But it was about the gap between inflation and money market interest rates [not policy interest rate]. What he clearly said, was that no one should expect the interest rates to rise in line with inflation soon [this would be bankers' wishful thinking, he implied between the lines]. He also mentioned that the [nearly] 2pp between the interest rates and inflation in Europe [euro area] is same in Romania [more or less, with the gap wider in Romania judging by numbers] at this moment. He did not say whether the gap will remain the same, but he implied that the developments in Romania should [and he stressed, in his opinion] converge to the developments in Europe. Both the interest rates and inflation in Romania should converge to same levels as in Europe , he also added. Isarescu also mentioned debates among monetary board's members about the process of normalisation of the monetary policy in Europe -- by normalisation meaning the return to real positive interest rates, sterilisation and monetary transmission mechanism as we know it. It is a process that impacts Romania significantly, he stated, and its dynamics is still unclear. [such normalisation would compress the 2pp gap and in fact, eventually, turn it negative -- our comments here ] In conclusion, the 2pp gap should be regarded as a dynamic target -- likely to follow the developments in the euro area. Because otherwise, combined with the 3.5% y/y yearend conflagration target it would result in 1.5% interest rates at the end of the year [which is unrealistic]. The bottom line: Isarescu's comments were not about the policy rate, but about the interest rates. whole speech here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttY05QnX034 with the para mentioned starting min45
Latvia’s central bank, Latvijas Banka, has revised its GDP and inflation forecasts. In the light of the latest global economic developments, including the implications of the second wave of the ...
Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic was fined €1,700 by the Belgrade First Basic Court for calling far-right opposition leader Bosko Obradovic a fascist and thief, Obradovic announced on Twitter. ...
Wizz Air sold €500mn worth of three-year bonds at an interest rate of just 1.35% on January 13 after receiving more than €2bn of orders from investors, ...
Poland-based parcel locker operator InPost will carry out an initial public offering (IPO) on Euronext Amsterdam, the company said on January 13. The announcement confirms earlier speculation of ...
Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, told a visiting South Korean delegation on January 11 that the release of the Hankuk Chemi oil tanker and its 20 crew ...
The Mongolian government is considering terminating and replacing the development and financial plan for the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine, Rio Tinto-controlled Turquoise Hill Resources said on ...
An explosion has ripped through a major pipeline in Ukraine’s central Poltava region that pumps Russian gas to Europe, authorities have said. Russian transit volumes are unaffected, however, ...
Poland’s anti-monopoly watchdog UOKiK blocked the takeover of media group Eurozet by one of Poland’s largest media companies, the Warsaw-listed Agora, UOKiK said on January 7. The decision was ...
Dozens of Bulgarian men breached coronavirus (COVID-19) safety measures on January 6, dancing together in the waters of the Tundzha river in the town of Kalofer to celebrate the Epiphany ...
Iran has displayed hundreds of domestically produced combat drones at war games held in central Semnan province, the semi-official Fars news agency ...
Fugitive Bulgarian gambling mogul Vassil Bozhkov said on January 4 he has set up a political party and intends to run in the next general election, which is due to be called in March this year. ...
Slovenia’s finance ministry announced on January 4 that it has commissioned several international banks to manage a new 10-year Eurobond issue and increase a 30-year bond issue due in 2050. The ...
Uzbekistan’s possible accession into the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) has been a question debated within and outside the country for two years. Membership would carry clear benefits and ...
Serbia started receiving natural gas through Bulgaria into its section of the extension of Gazprom's Turkish Stream pipeline for gas transit to Europe dubbed Balkan Stream, after officially launching ...
The Polish government announced on December 17 that the current measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will remain in place until January 17, with some extra regulations ...
Montenegro wants good relations with everyone but particularly with Russia, the country’s newly-elected Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic said on December 17 at a meeting with Russia’s ambassador ...
Albania’s Kastrati Group is reportedly in negotiations to acquire Tirana airport from Chinese investors, local media reported on December 16. Tirana International Airport (TIA) is currently the ...
Tehran Mayor Pirouz Hanachi on December 17 inaugurated two new metro stations and said another eight would soon be ready to go into operation on the rapidly expanding subway, LIT magazine ...
Bulgaria’s government decided on December 17 to extend the lockdown until the end of January and to increase state aid to companies to help them to retain their employees. At the end ...
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