The reference exchange rate slips to 4.2116 lei per euro, in line with region

BNR announced a reference exchange rate of 4.2127 lei per euro on July 31.

The leu opened at around 4.21 units per euro and after a slight fall to 4.2155 regained ground around noon to 4.21. At 1:20 p.m., banks bought the euro with 4.2062 lei and sold it for 4.2132 lei.

In the region, the Polish zloty increased from 4.15 to 4.11 against the euro, then went back to 4.1150. The Hungarian forint followed a similar trend, climbing from 266.95 to 265.35 units per euro, then resuming to 266.

The reference exchange rate also lowered 1.28 percent to 2.9489 lei per dollar, from 2.9871 in the previous session.

On international markets, the U.S. currency rose from 1.4315 to 1.42 against the euro, then the exchange rate climbed to 1.43. At 1:20 p.m. Romania's hour, the euro was traded for 1.4288.

BNR drew 480 million lei from five lenders today and placed them in deposits maturing on August 10, for which it offers an interest of 9 percent a year, similar to the monetary policy rate.

Despite the central lender's intervention, interbank interests for overnight deposits slipped to between 8 - 9 percent per year, below the monetary policy rate of 9 percent.