June 6 (SeeNews) - The number of new businesses with foreign capital established in the first four months of 2024 in Romania inched up by 0.9% on the year to 2,308, data from the Trade Office Registry, ONRC, showed.
The foreign capital of the new companies jumped by 46% to $12.4 million (11.4 million euro) in the review period, according to data published by ONRC on Wednesday.
In April alone, 633 companies financed with foreign capital were registered in Romania, up 33% on the year.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) flow in April echoed the dynamic of the previous month as most newly established companies were active in wholesale and retail trade, car and motorcycle repairs (35%), professional, administrative, scientific, and technical activities (18%), as well as transport, storage and communications (15%).
Transport, storage and communications companies accounted for 54% of the share capital of foreign-owned companies established in April. Financial brokerage and insurance enterprises along with construction companies followed with shares of 11% and 10%, respectively, while other sectors sliced single-digit shares.
As of the end of April, Romania hosted 253,534 foreign-owned companies with a total capital of $70.581 billion. Italian investors held the largest number, with 53,077 companies or 21% of the aggregate. Despite only tallying 6,146 entities, Dutch investment remained at the top in terms of share capital, contributing $13.063 billion or 20% of the total.
FDI in Romania in the first quarter of 2024 fell by 5.5% on the year to 2.095 billion euro, data from the country’s central bank has shown.
The Foreign Investors Council in Romania (FIC) said in March that investor sentiment improved in the spring of 2024, with 53% of surveyed investors considering the Romanian market more attractive than its peers, compared to 34% in November.
($=0.9195 euro)