BUCHAREST, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Romania's current account deficit expanded to 12.18 billion euros (13.33 billion U.S. dollars) in the first six months of 2024, up from 9.09 billion euros during the same period in 2023, the National Bank of Romania (BNR) said on Tuesday.
The widening deficit was driven by a combination of factors, including a 1.87 billion euro increase in the trade deficit for goods and a 1.06 billion euro reduction in the surplus from services.
External debt also saw significant growth, rising by 6.77 billion euros to 176.86 billion euros as of June 2024.
The National Institute of Statistics reported last Friday that Romania's trade balance deficit stood at 15.09 billion euros by the end of June, a 13.2 percent increase year-on-year.
Experts attribute the widening deficit to high domestic demand, rising energy costs, and structural challenges in boosting export growth. (1 euro = 1.09 U.S. dollars) ■
