The NewMoney–INSCOP barometer points to a defensive turn among Romanian entrepreneurs: it does not establish that a wave of layoffs has already happened, but more respondents expect cuts than hiring. The government should treat that gap as a warning to be tested against real outcomes, not as proof that a jobs collapse or recession is already under way.
In the phone survey of 1,100 entrepreneurs conducted on 19–26 October, 10.6% said they expected to hire over the next 12 months, while 19.7% expected layoffs. Most respondents, 65.3%, planned to keep staffing unchanged. That is a weaker balance than in 2024, when 24.4% expected hiring and 11.1% expected layoffs, Digi24 reported.
The caution goes beyond payroll. Only 35.7% expected to invest in development or expansion, down from 54% in 2024, while 62% did not expect such investment. At the same time, 65.9% expected Romania’s economy to worsen over the next 12 months and 83.3% expected the leu-euro exchange rate to rise. These answers do not prove the cause of any individual staffing decision, but they describe the same calculation: preserve cash and postpone risk.
The government can fairly note that most respondents do not foresee layoffs and that an opinion survey does not measure actual hiring or job losses. Prime Minister Luca Niculescu said restoring confidence and investment appetite was a priority. That makes measurable follow-through more important than rebutting the survey: completed investment, access to and cost of finance, job creation and business survival should be tracked over time.
The NewMoney–INSCOP barometer is a measure of stated intentions, with a reported margin of error of plus or minus 2.9%, not a certain forecast for every business. The next test is whether observed investment and employment data confirm this defensive stance, or whether the government’s announced priorities change firms’ plans.
Sources
- Digi24 · Source date: 2026-11-03
- Digi24 · Source date: 2026-11-03
- HotNews · Source date: 2026-11-03
- Digi24 · Source date: 2026-11-03
Independent editorial content. WUA is not affiliated with any political party. 2026-11-03