Bucharesters prefer savings in foreign currency

In the first three months of the year, Bucharesters made less deposits in RON, preferring foreign currencies for savings. In Calarasi and Teleorman, the counties with the lowest deposits, the population continues to rely on the RON, reveals data from the NBR (Romanian central bank). Bucharesters, who account for a third of overall deposits in RON and half of the sums saved in foreign currency, opted for the euro over the RON in the first quarter. The volume of deposits in foreign currency increased 5%, to 9.5 billion RON in Bucharest, while deposits in RON saw a slight depreciation, by one percentage point, to 7.2 billion RON in the first three months of the year. Far behind the inhabitants of Bucharest are those in Cluj county, whose savings went up 1.6% in RON in Q1 and 10% in euros. According to NBR data, the volume of RON-denominated deposits held by the inhabitants in Cluj county went up by 1.3 billion RON, while deposits in euros amounted to 813 million RON at the end of March. Ranked third in terms of the biggest savings is Prahova county, with deposits worth 991 million-RON, up 0.1% against the end of last year.