UPDATED. Economic recovery after numerous shocks will continue, although Moldova still faces high emigration, low competitiveness and limited opportunities. This was the conclusion of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) experts following a mission and the publication of the relevant country report.
According to preliminary data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the GDP in 2025 will amount to 353.5 billion lei (in current market prices) and will increase in real terms by 2.4% compared to 2024.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) proposed to release a record volume of oil from strategic reserves (more than 182 million barrels) to stabilize prices that have risen sharply due to the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, The Wall Street Journal writes, citing informed sources.
Indian refiners bought about 30 million barrels of Russian crude after the U.S. gave the green light for such deals, with the price topping Dated Brent by $2-8 a barrel, Bloomberg wrote, citing informed sources.
A commission from Hungary has left to inspect the condition of the Druzhba oil pipeline stopped by Ukraine. It will soon become clear whether they will be allowed to enter the country at all and how the situation will develop after their arrival in Kiev. This was stated by Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs.
Moldovan leu for the middle of March shows a slight strengthening against dollar and euro in comparison with the indicators of the beginning of the month. The average dollar purchase is about 17.05 MDL, sale – 17.50 MDL. On the international markets, the dollar index (DXY) shows a decrease, which automatically leads to the leu strengthening against the American currency.
Overcoming the 2025 energy crisis by about two-thirds has been financed by the EU and European bilateral partners to the tune of €215 million, mainly in the form of grants for electricity procurement and support to households, businesses and social institutions. External support to the energy sector will be significantly reduced in 2026.
Aramco, the world’s top oil company, said Tuesday that the conflict with Iran continues to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which could have “catastrophic consequences” for global oil markets.
In February, the annual inflation rate surpassed last month’s figures, amounting to 5.1%, which is higher than in January. In January, annual inflation in Moldova decreased to 4.8% (from 6.8% in December 2025), which was the lowest level over the last 1.5 years.
The U.S. dollar reversed course on Monday, retreating from a three-month high after President Donald Trump suggested the conflict with Iran was nearing an end.
No EU country has tapped its strategic oil reserves because of the escalation in the Middle East, European Commission spokeswoman Ana Kaiza Itkonen told a briefing on Monday.
The EU and Canada have started negotiations on the so-called Digital Trade Agreement (DTA) amid Europe’s conflict with the US over digital regulation.
According to Politico, last week EU ambassadors actually “buried” the idea of accelerated accession, stressing that membership should be based solely on merit and full fulfillment of the criteria. Earlier, the publication also wrote that Ukraine’s hopes for quick accession to the EU had been dashed.
The National Bank of Moldova (NBM) intends to integrate AI technologies more fully into its activities and has been actively discussing their role at various regional conferences for several years.
The goal is to reduce the deficit on the world market by adding “hundreds of millions of barrels” of Russian oil caught in sanctions. The U.S. stresses that this is not an easing of sanctions pressure on Russia, but a measure to stabilize prices. Washington is also considering further lifting of sanctions on other Russian oil to increase supply.
According to the latest data from the Ministry of Finance, the domestic public debt has been growing steadily since the beginning of the year. In January, it increased by 1.9 billion lei and in February by another 1.7 billion lei, amounting to 55.7 billion lei.
According to the latest data from the National Bank of Moldova (NBM), as of February 27, 2026, official foreign exchange reserves continued their downward trend, decreasing by 61.01 million euros to 5,019.69 million euros. Despite the decrease, the volume of reserves remained high, supporting the financial stability of the country.
EU countries are finalizing the implementation of a minimum corporate tax rate of 15% for the largest multinational companies (global minimum tax (Pillar Two) and are beginning to consider a flat tax “on wealth”.
Transfers through the European system SEPA, which Moldova joined in March last year, currently account for over 80% of all transferred funds from and to Europe. The National Bank of Moldova (NBM) reports this as its main achievement on the way to the EU, publishing relevant data.
The Central Bank of Sweden has issued recommendations for citizens in case of war and other crises. In particular, it recommended keeping at home 1 thousand Swedish kronor (about $110) for each adult.
