The Romanian industrialists are pessimistic about the global economy. “There are many things that are completely missing. And we do not understand a very simple principle,” says a local entrepreneur

The perception of the managers is very important because it is like a kind of phenomenon of self-fulfillment. If all the managers in Romania believe a certain thing, then that thing has very high chances to happen. If we are all pessimistic and we expect for example to decrease private investments, this will happen, “said Andrei Cionca, co-founder of private Equity Roca and Agista, and the initiator of the Confisex study, which measures the confidence of industrialists in the economy.

• 95% of managers require investments in the national economy, and 58% support the need for alternative sources of financing. The image of the investors remains positive: 81% consider them essential for stability and management.

• The services and energy sectors are the most confident, as opposed to agriculture and transport, which concern with reserves the next period.

Cionca spoke at the presentation of the results of the 12th edition of the Study Confidex and about the impact on Romania of Donald Trump's tariff policies.

“The problem we see today at the level of our portfolio of companies and suppose it is a generalized problem in the economy, it is the indirect impact. That is, we do not know today how imposed our foreign customers will be, especially those in western Europe, how much they will be of these rates, because we do not know how to expose the state, we do not know the state. Chinese, because they will be able to re-ride from the production they can no longer download, or which would download with some very high rates in the United States at this time. Our estimates is that the feeling of caution will increase, ”said Andrei Cionca

The Romanian entrepreneurs are in a fragile balance between optimism and concern, confidex results. I feel the pressure of an increasingly unstable global context, but it does not panic, but on the contrary, it is based on the experience of the past and the ability to adapt.

The hardships that Romanian entrepreneurs face

• “We are prepared for two scenarios, with or without war. And if it is the worst scenario, regardless of the crisis, there is a way to survive … and in our business we generate a state of well-being that can make us remain relevant.” – Damian Alexandru, AMD Nobel Pharmaceutical

• “I am more concerned about my direct business problems than Romania's macroeconomics. I have nothing to do with macroeconomics. I am looking for solutions to what I can solve. If the macroeconomic context is changed, the context of my business is changed. I adapt. I see what to do.”-Annemarie Fabian, Solo

• “There are many uncoated niches, categories that are completely missing, which are not addressed at all. There are multiple development opportunities. But we do not have an administration that will take anticyclic measures. And we do not understand a very simple principle: the higher revenues come only from investments or quality increase.” – Adrian Cocan, Milkfarm

• “When it comes to the national economy, I am neither very worried, nor very relaxed. But I see it, say, in the right direction. I think there are many opportunities that we should see. Although those who lead us … I guess the war in Ukraine will end and I think it will be a good opportunity,”

• “What the policy does-whether or not the taxes increase, the VAT, whether the war extends or ends-is not under our control. We must focus on what we can control and keep what we have, maybe add something.” – Veronica Preoteasa, Vedra SRL

• “We would like to take our glass packaging in Romania, but the only local producer, Stirom, does not have the necessary production capacity to satisfy our demand.” – Adrian Cocan, Milkfarm

• “It is really much harder for a small company. You are affected by any imbalance-such as you do not have enough money for salaries, because you have not received some invoices.”-Adrian Hălmăgean, AVI

• “For small farmers, for example, not granting financing – in the context in which suppliers of such services become more selective – combined with postponement, can quickly lead to blockages” – big company, agriculture

• “At this moment, from what I see in the media, inflation in Romania is among the highest in Europe. I do not see elements that determine inflation.” – Liviu Popa, Constanța heating

• “There are, on the one hand, redundancies-we see them in many places-and the probability that the volume of goods and services is decrease is quite high, which is not a good sign.” – Adrian Cocan, Milkfarm

Less than half of the Romanian entrepreneurs believe their own company will remain stable

The 12th edition of the Study Confidex, supported by the Private Equity, Agista and CITR funds, the leader of the insolvency and restructuring market, led on a sample of over 500 top managers, confirms this mixed feeling: 64% of the managers expect that the global economy will be worsened (55%), but 42%) It will remain stable, while 26% expect an improvement in the situation of their own companies. . Prudence is real, but not paralyzing. In Romania, the business environment seems to have learned to work in uncertainty, to go further even when there is no clarity.

The Confidex index S1 2025 is 51.3-a level close to the end of last year (52), which shows a waiting state, but also a signal that the Romanian businesses still “hold the line” in a complicated landscape.

According to the Study Confidex S1 2025 the companies in the field of services prove to be the most optimistic, with a trusted index of 52.7, followed by those in IT (52.9). On the other hand, the agricultural sector adopts a more cautious attitude (index of 45.7), in the context of complicating the general situation in the field.

“The Romanian entrepreneurs show strength and adaptability. For the third consecutive semester, the confidence in the economy remains stable – a sign that the business environment has learned the lessons of recent years. Confidex also shows us a clear direction: we need an environment that supports growth and attracts capital in the areas that can make the Romanian. To go on, even in the middle of the turbulence. Romania, ”said Andrei Cionca, co-founder of private Equity and Agista funds, and the initiator of the Study Confidex.

In periods of uncertainty, entrepreneurs look at investors

With a percentage of confidence in 81%investors, managers and entrepreneurs feel the need for an increasingly pronounced role in the economy. Thus, 32% of managers declare that they would need financial support from investors, they are perceived as valuable partners for the financial stability of companies, but also as a support for the development of business strategies, to support navigating through current challenges and leading to business scaling. Managers believe that investors contribute significantly to the financial stability of the companies in which they invest, with 72% of the respondents recognizing this contribution.

“Private investors play a key role in the development of the Romanian economy, especially now, when the challenges are increasing. Entrepreneurs know that a good investor means more than capital-it means vision, experience and partnership. Their support can make the difference between stagnation and scalage. However, it is crucial to approach this relationship with this relationship. A barrier.

Where the opportunities come from:

Increasing sales and improving customer relationship, main priorities in business

The results of the 12th edition of the Confidex study indicate a general trend of caution regarding the current economic context, marked by uncertainties and risks. Most managers (57%) forecast an inflation accentuation, and 39% expect Romania's GDP to decrease in the coming months. These projections are amplified by the expectations of increasing the unemployment rate (49% of the respondents) and the depreciation of the lion to the euro (54% of the respondents).

Regarding the perception of the evolution of their own business, 41% of the managers say that the situation of their company has been damaged in the last 6 months, and half of them believe that things will worsen in the short term. At the same time, the perception of the macroeconomic evolution in the last 6 months, so that 79% of the managers feel a depreciation of the condition of the global economy and 72% of the European economy has been worsening.

Managers retain special attention to the operational costs, 73% of the respondents anticipating an increase in the production and operation expenses in the next 6 months, which can influence their price strategies. At the same time, for the next period, managers focus their attention on some essential aspects for business security. The priorities identified in the 12th edition of the Confidex study include the improvement of customer relations (29%) and the increase of sales (47%), but also the diversification of investments.

The diversification of the products continues to be perceived as the main opportunity, 23% of the managers underlining this aspect. This opportunity manifests itself in various sectors, including industry, construction, trade / FMCG and energy. The top of opportunities is complemented by easier access to international markets (15%) and digitization / technology (13%). Although these aspects are mainly associated with the IT sector, all sectors identify a significant potential in increasing productivity through automation. Other relevant opportunities highlighted by the study are the increase of investments (12%) and attracting new customers (11%), both registering a slight increase compared to S2 2024. Also, a positive evolution of perception is observed on the possibility of stimulating the market demand. About 10% of companies believe that reducing uncertainties could generate new development opportunities.

See here the full study