Clare Nuttall in Baku
Thu, 29th Apr -- Private sector construction has slowed in Azerbaijan, but the state's infrastructure building programme has ensured that demand for cement remains strong. As such, local producer Garadagh Cement is in the process of expanding and upgrading its production capacity to meet the expected increase in foreign competition.

Clare Nuttall in Baku
Thu, 29th Apr -- AzMeCo is building what will be Azerbaijan's first modern petrochemicals complex. This $1.1bn project is the flagship in the Baku-based company's chain of refineries that stretch from Russia through Central Asia to Afghanistan.

Clare Nuttall in Baku
Thu, 29th Apr -- Azersun Holding already accounts for around 27% of food production in Azerbaijan. The country's largest food producer now plans to open several new production plants, both at home and abroad.

Clare Nuttall in Baku
Thu, 29th Apr -- Azerbaijan's state oil and gas company Socar is considering various financing options for an investment programme spanning exploration and production, environmental work, shipbuilding and other areas of the vast conglomerate's activities.

Ben Aris in Baku
Thu, 29th Apr -- Express credit has arrived in Azerbaijan and Bank of Baku has a virtual monopoly over the business.

Clare Nuttall in Baku
Thu, 29th Apr -- Azerbaijan maintained its strong rate of GDP growth through 2008 and 2009 thanks both to its high oil and gas revenues and to the prudent policies of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan Republic (CBAR). Though measures have been put in place to enable the central bank to help the real economy this year, it doesn't expect such support to be needed to any great degree.

Clare Nuttall in Baku
Thu, 29th Apr -- It seems unfair to criticise an economy that managed to grow by 9.3% during the depths of the international economic crisis in 2009. But while on the surface everything appears to be going well in Azerbaijan, headline statistics mask some inefficiencies and obstacles to investment.