ARMENIA GDP DOWN 18% IN JAN-SEPT

Interfax
Nov 2 2009
Russia

Armenia GDP fell 18.3% in January- September 2009 year-on-year to
2.123 trillion dram, the National Statistics Service reported.

Output in the construction sector plummeted 43.8% in the period
year-on-year to 364.6 billion dram.

Industrial output contracted 11.4% in the nine months to 459.7 billion
dram, while agricultural output fell 1.3% to 407.9 billion dram.

Electricity production was down 12.6% to 4.152 billion kWh.

Armenians purchased services worth 533.2 billion dram in the nine
months, 1.2% less than in the same period last year. Retail turnover
rose 0.8% to 697.6 billion dram. The average nominal monthly salary
in the nine months rose 12% to 98,369 dram.

Trade turnover amounted to 978.5 billion dram (down 30.7% year-on-
year), including exports totaling 173.3 billion dram (down 41.5%)
and imports totaling 805.2 billion dram (down 27.9%). The trade
deficit narrowed to 631.9 billion dram, 10% less than the deficit in
the first nine months last year.

The official exchange rate on October 30 was 386.37 dram/$1.