RIA Novosti, Russia
Jan 5 2005

ARMENIA POSTS UNIMPRESSIVE ECONOMIC RESULTS

YEREVAN, January 5 (RIA Novosti’s Gamlet Matevosyan ) – Armenia
chalked up a $1,900,000,000 trade turnover over the January-November
2004 period, exceeding similar 2003 levels by 4.5 percent.

Meanwhile the national statistical service estimates that exports and
imports totaled $645,900,000 and $1,219,300,000, respectively.

The country also posted a $573.4-million foreign-trade deficit over
the January-November 2004 period.

One dollar cost an average of 537 drams over the January-November
2004 period.

Average wages totaled 41,168 drams ($76.6) throughout that period, a
28.7-percent increase on similar 2003 levels.

Public-sector wages soared by 36.4 percent on the January-November
2003 period, totaling 25,840 drams, what with private-sector wages
increasing by 25.4 percent (53,867 drams).

At the same time, minimal food-basket prices were 30,278 drams
($56.3) per month.

As of late November 2004, Armenia had 109,600 officially registered
jobless persons, an 8.7-percent decline on November 2003 levels.