ARMENIAN IMPORTS GROW IN HALF 1, EXPORTS SLIGHTLY DOWN

Armenpress

YEREVAN, JULY 20, ARMENPRESS: In the first six months of 2006 Armenia’s
foreign trade amounted to $1.395 billion, posting a 12.7 percent growth
from a year ago. Armenia’s National Statistical Committee (Armstat)
said the volume of foreign trade without cut diamond output, was $1.159
billion, a 23.3 percent year-on-year upsurge. Armenia’s exports in
January-June stood at $437.7 million, down 0.6 percent from a year
ago, while imports amounted to $951.8 million, marking a 20 percent
year-on-year growth. Armstat said exports, not counting cut diamonds,
was $324.8 million and imports $834.9 million. Growth from a year ago
was respectively 7.6 and 30.6 percent. Armstat also said population
money incomes in this time span amounted to 684.4 billion Drams,
while expenses rose to 685.3 billion Drams. Some 545 billion Drams
were spent on purchase of goods and services. Growth from a year
ago was respectively 17.4 and 19.2 percent. Armstat also said the
number of officially registered unemployed by the end of June stood
at 90,000, down 7 percent from a year ago. Average wages were 59, 600
drams, 21.6 percent higher from a year ago. Wages in public sector
were 41,800 drams (approximately $100) and 73,000 drams in private
sector. Growth from a year ago was respectively 21.9 and 20.7 percent.