The listing of Fondul Proprietatea (FP- Property Fund), which had a 120 million-euro trading volume in the first week, was the biggest transaction in 2010 and the first few months of this year, reveals the Top Deals Yearbook put together by Ziarul Financiar. Over 80 deals are presented in the catalogue, with a cumulated value of over 1 billion euros, most of which in real estate.
With many of the deals being worth less than 10 million euros, 2010 can be considered the year of small transactions, to the disappointment of consultants who hoped for a rebound of the market. Even so, Romanian buyers were extremely few, with only six companies or business people venturing to buy at a time when most want to exit: Puiu Popoviciu, Asesoft, Dedeman, Camelia Șucu, the Minea family and Augustin Oancea. Foreign investors were the ones who set the tone for mergers and acquisitions last year.“I don’t believe in spectacular rises, but it is very likely that 2011 will see the first trading peaks since the crisis began, if the state goes through with its plans. For instance, I think the sale of minority stakes held in various utility companies in the oil and natural gas industries, the petrochemical and telecommunications industries could attract a few major strategic investors, which would benefit the Romanian economy directly,” said Florentin Țuca, managing partner of Țuca Zbârcea & Asociații law firm.