ROBOR Exceeds 6%: Higher Instalments for 152,000 Romanians with Mortgage Loans

The three-month ROBOR rate, which affects the loan repayments of approximately 152,000 Romanians with mortgage loans, reached 6.06% on Thursday, 1 October 2026, according to data published by the National Bank of Romania (sourced via cursbnr.ro). This is the highest level recorded since the beginning of the year, matching the figure from 12 January 2026, and exceeds the 6% threshold.

The timing is particularly fraught for the economy: the rise comes one day after Parliament rejected Siegfried Mureșan's proposed government, and one day before the ratings agency Standard & Poor's is due to decide whether Romania retains its investment-grade status or is downgraded.

How ROBOR has moved over the past week

The data shows a steady upward trend:

• 23 September: 5.85%
• 24 September: 5.93%
• 25 September: 5.97%
• 28 September: 5.97%
• 29 September: 5.98%
• 30 September: 5.98%
• 1 October: 6.06%

In practical terms, the index has risen by more than 0.2 percentage points in just a few days, reflecting tensions in the financial markets and growing uncertainty over the country's economic outlook.

Who is affected by rising borrowing costs

According to data compiled by the National Bank of Romania as of 30 June 2026, provided at the request of ZF, the rise in ROBOR directly affects the repayments of more than 152,000 Romanians with standard mortgage loans, Prima casă/Noua casă loans, or consumer loans in lei linked to this index, as well as those of more than 115,000 businesses (specifically 116,238 companies, representing more than half of all firms with active bank financing).

Awaiting the Standard & Poor's verdict

The rise in the ROBOR index comes one day before Standard & Poor's is due to announce whether Romania retains its investment-grade rating or is moved into speculative territory, commonly known as "junk" status. A potential downgrade could increase the cost of government borrowing and put further upward pressure on interest rates across the economy, against a backdrop of political instability following Parliament's rejection of the government proposed by Siegfried Mureșan.