Romanian leu ends little changed vs euro

The local currency ended at 4.4250/4270 per euro compared to 4.4200 on Monday. The Romanian interbank forex market was closed on Tuesday and Wednesday due to the Christmas holidays.

The leu opened at around 4.4200 per euro on Thursday and changed hands between 4.4185 and 4.4400 during the trading session, a local dealer told SeeNews.

"After the opening the leu fell to 4.44 due to euro-buying interest from local players, but later there were euro-selling orders from abroad and the local currency firmed, getting close to the opening value, 4.42," the dealer said.

Romania's central bank, BNR, set its reference exchange rate at 4.4296 lei per euro on Thursday compared to 4.4231 on Monday. For the U.S. dollar, BNR set the reference exchange rate at 3.3384 lei versus 3.3468 lei on Monday.

Turnover on the Romanian interbank leu deposit market stood at 3.662 billion lei on Monday. The central bank will issue Thursday's turnover figure on Friday.

Interest rates on overnight leu deposits edged up to 6.95%/7.45% from 6.94%/7.44% on Monday.