The Leova City Administration is preparing to issue municipal bonds for a total amount of 9 million lei, intended to finance projects for the reconstruction of the urban environment and infrastructure development of public spaces in the central district of the city.
A group of the world’s leading central banks and more than 40 major commercial banks are stepping up testing of one of the world’s most closely watched digital payments projects, Agora, as the race to modernize and dominate the international financial architecture heats up.
Accelerating the digital transformation of the financial sector will be the main topic of the international conference of the Group of Banking Supervisors of Central and Southeastern Europe (BSCEE), which is held by the National Bank on May 28-29. The event will bring together governors and experts of central banks of 24 BSCEE member countries, as well as representatives of international and European financial institutions.
In Eastern Europe, an annual income of 100 thousand euros leaves more “on hand” than in Western and Northern Europe. The calculations are complicated, these are only experts’ estimates, because the tax systems themselves differ: in some countries they are relatively simple, in others much more complex. But the conclusion is unambiguous. Bulgaria tops the ranking.
In Europe, “winter” electricity is trading at the highest premium since 2022 due to gas and hydropower shortages. Low gas reserves and shrinking hydropower reserves increase the risk of even higher energy prices for businesses and households.
An external audit revealed that more than half of the citizens obliged to self-insure do not purchase a medical policy. At the end of last year, 133 thousand people paid the insurance contribution under the compulsory health insurance (CHI) program in the prescribed amount, totaling 363.5 million lei, while more than 142 thousand people did not contribute to the CHI system. The losses incurred by the medical funds are estimated by the Court of Accounts at about 187 million lei.
The external public audit of the Accounting Chamber revealed a number of serious systemic violations that can directly affect the social rights of citizens. Execution of the state social insurance budget faces a number of systemic problems that depend on the state of the economy as a whole – bankruptcy of enterprises, debts, poor financial discipline and many other things that affect the sustainability of state guarantees in the social sphere.
According to World Bank forecasts, Moldova’s public debt, including both external and internal government debt, may increase to about 44% of GDP by 2028. Currently, the share of government debt is kept at a safe level and does not exceed 40% of GDP, but the country’s total external debt (public and private sector) reaches $11.6 billion, which is more than 58% of GDP.
China is cutting the interest rate on consumer loans to a record low to stimulate the economy. The reduction in borrowing costs comes amid signs that the Chinese economy is slowing after a strong first quarter. Growth slowed across the board in April and the People’s Bank of China (MLF) went for a further cut in May. In May, some banks borrowed under the People’s Bank’s annual medium-term lending facility at a rate of just 1.45%, down 0.05 percentage points from April.
The dollar, considered a defensive asset, is gaining ground amid renewed investor concerns. Negotiations are progressing, but a deal is not expected anytime soon. The dollar stabilized on Tuesday amid expectations of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to the conflict with Iran. However, new U.S. strikes on Iranian facilities and statements about a long negotiation process cooled market optimism.
Official statistics records in the first quarter of 2026 an increase in the volume of goods transported (+15.1%) and their range (+14.7%). These indicators indicate the intensification of domestic and international trade. The growth in tonnage and range of cargo transportation is directly related to the increase in exports, where the leading exports are agro-products to the EU and Turkey.
Europe is bracing for another wave of debilitating heatwaves this week. Stifling heat is expected in the south and southwest, including Portugal, Spain and France, with daytime highs of up to 38 °C; much of France has been placed on a moderate heat warning. In northern countries such as Germany and the UK, maximum values exceed 30 °C.
The dollar fell on Monday as rising hopes led to lower yields and increased risk appetite. The weakening dollar and rising risk appetite was driven by recent news of progress in the US-Iran peace agreement, lower geopolitical tensions and falling oil prices, which reduced expectations of prolonged inflation.
According to the National Bank of Moldova (NBM), in April 2026, cash withdrawals from commercial banks’ cash offices exceeded receipts by 776 million lei. This cash flow imbalance continues for several consecutive months. For comparison, in March 2026, net issuance exceeded receipts by 275 million lei, and in February – by 1,028 million lei.
August futures for Brent crude oil were $94.7 per barrel – 5.4% cheaper than the previous day’s close, according to data from the London-based ICE exchange. The last time Brent fell below $95 per barrel on April 24. The cost of U.S. WTI crude oil, shipped in July, fell by 5.77% – to $90.83 per barrel.
Public debt service costs in developed countries are growing rapidly, reaching record global levels. This process is caused by the need for emergency anti-crisis borrowing and a long period of high interest rates set by central banks to fight inflation. Between 2020 and 2025, the ratio of public debt to GDP in developed countries increased by 25-30% on average.
The Texas Attorney General’s Office has filed a lawsuit against Meta and WhatsApp. This was reported by the Attorney General of the state Ken Paxton. As follows from the statement of claim filed in the Harrison County Court, the defendants provided users with false information about the degree of protection of correspondence.
According to the latest European Union statistics, the price of natural gas for household consumers in Moldova does not exceed the EU average. In 2025, the highest natural gas prices for households were recorded in Sweden (€0.2092 per kWh), the Netherlands (€0.1719) and Italy (€0.1481). The cheapest gas was in Hungary (€0.0340 per kWh), Croatia (€0.0543) and Romania (€0.0566).
The European Union has officially rejected the UK government’s proposal to create a separate single market for goods. Brussels responded by rejecting London’s initiative aimed at deepening bilateral trade relations, confirming that any attempts to obtain selective privileges without meeting all membership conditions are ruled out.
Hungary is considering an agreement with Romanian companies OMV Petrom and Romgaz to supply gas from the Black Sea field Neptun Deep, which is scheduled to start up in 2027. The state-owned MVM Corporation has already agreed on a gas price close to the cost of Russian imports, and the parties are now discussing schedules and supply volumes, which could amount to about 1 billion cubic meters per year at the start.
