BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT INDEX MAKES 98%, ECONOMIC ACTIVITY INDEX – 97.5% AND CONSUMER CONFIDENCE INDEX – 97.6% IN ARMENIA IN SECOND QUARTER OF 2007 AS COMPARED WITH PREVIOUS ONE
Noyan Tapan
Jun 22 2007
YEREVAN, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA)
calculated the composite economic indices in Armenia for the
second quarter of 2007 as compared with the first one: the business
environment index made 98%, economic activity index – 97.5%, consumer
trust index – 97.6%.
According to a press release submitted to NT by the CBA press service,
a decline in the business environment index (BEI) is conditioned by
the decline in the subindices of all brabches, except industry that
has grown and made 114.9%. The estimates of trade and construction
branches have shaprly declined in BEI. The index decline in the trade
branch was caused by the estimate of economic state which was lower
(82.7%) as compared with high expectations of the previous quarter. In
construction branch, the risks affecting companies (78.2%) as well
as the changes in economic state expected in the next quarter (79.5%)
were lower as compared with the estimates of the previous quarter.
The decline in the economic activity index is mainly conditioned
by the decline in the subindices of trade and services. In trade,
the expectations of second quarter’s orders (83.3%) and turnover
(90.2%) were lower as compared with the first quarter. In services,
the estimates of orders in the next quarter were lower in the second
quarter as compared with the first one.
The consumer confidence index declined to 97.6% in the second quarter
on the first one. This decline is conditioned by the decline in the
subindex of current conditions (96.6%) and the subindex of future
conditions (98.4%).
The decline in the subindex of current conditions was influenced by the
decline in household incomes (5.3%) and expenditures on the purchase of
hosehold commodities (11%) as compared with the previous quarter. It
is noteworthy that the estimate of current economic conditions has
grown on the previous quarter to 108.5%. Indices of all componenets
of the subindex of expected conditions have decreased on the previous
quarter. Thus, the expenditures on household commodities, the incomes
and the unemployment have decined by 0.3%, 3% and 11.4% respectively.
824 organizations in industry, construction and service sector, as well
as 2,621 households in Yerevan and all Armenian marzes were selectively
studied for the purpose of calculating the composite indices.