Entrepreneurs propped up their businesses in 2010 with money raised from capital market

In 2010, companies raised record high sums through the Stock Exchange, of above 550m RON (130m euros), even more than in the market's boom years of 2007 and 2008, but this time the sums shareholders pumped into companies were no longer aimed at development projects, but were meant to keep businesses afloat.

Entrepreneurs last year coped with an extremely challenging business environment, so that many had to bring significant sums into companies just to cover losses and protect themselves against the recession and financial crisis fallout.
Including RASDAQ, listed companies in 2010 raised over 1.06bn RON (250m euros) through cash capital increases. The sum is very low, though, compared with the Bucharest Stock Exchange's 12.6bn-euro capitalisation.
Last year's biggest cash capital operation was carried out by India's billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, who, through the international group he controls, ArcelorMittal, added approximately 350m RON (81.3m euros) to the capital of ArcelorMittal Hunedoara complex.