Data
Kazakhstan hikes cargo transit in H1 despite pandemic
The volume of cargo travelling via Kazakhstan was up by 54% y/y in H1, as the country becomes an important transit zone under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Romania’s trade gap narrows in May despite weak exports
The foreign trade gap in Romania contracted by 15.6% y/y to €1.25bn in May, but the latest foreign trade numbers don’t bring much optimism.
Lithuanian PPI deflation eases to -11.4% y/y in June
June was the fifth consecutive month of PPI deflation after factory gate prices decreased 16.4% y/y in May.
Czech industrial production down by 25% y/y in May, up 13.8% m/m
May production revived after being dragged down by shutdowns at the Czech Republic's main car factories in April, but the overall increase was softer than expected.
Foreigners’ share at Borsa Istanbul falls below 50%
This is the first time since June 2004 that foreigners’ share in the stock exchange has dropped below the 50% mark.
Albania’s annual CPI inflation slows to 1.8% in June
The IMF expects Albania’s consumer prices to increase by 2.4% in 2020 and 2.7% in 2021, speeding up from the 1.4% inflation last year.
COVID-19 lockdown sends Hungary's industrial output back to 2013 levels
Statistics office KSH said preliminary data suggests the drop in vehicle manufacturing was "extreme", despite Hungary's main carmakers partially reopening in May.
Russia’s Watcom Shopping Index regains three quarters of ground lost to coronacrisis
Russia’s Watcom Shopping Index has recovered three quarters of the ground lost during the coronacrisis, according to the latest data for week 26 of this year, after restrictions in Russia were eased in June.
Romania’s retail sales still 5.4% down y/y in May
Sales lag below 2019 level despite bouncing back in May from their plunge in April.
New lockdowns imposed in Eurasia to fight rising coronavirus cases
Several countries in Central Asia, the South Caucasus and the Western Balkans are seeing a strong rise in daily new cases after the easing of restrictions.
Estonia’s industrial production remains depressed by COVID-19 in May
May marked the twelfth consecutive month of falling industrial output in the Baltic state. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has clearly been the chief driver of the decline since March.
Net foreign direct investment leaving Ukraine in 1Q20
There was a net outflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) from Ukraine in the first quarter of this year of $1,451mn, reversing the trend of inflows of the last several years, according to data from Ukrstat.
Turkey’s debt-fuelled economic revival continues
Credit card and debit card payments in Turkey amounted to TRY20.1bn in the country’s fourth ‘post-lockdown’ week ending June 26.
Russia Services PMI bounces back to 47.8 in June, up from 35.9 in May
The seasonally adjusted IHS Markit Russia Services Business Activity Index registered 47.8 at the end of the second quarter, up notably from 35.9 in May, Markit said in a press release on July 3.
Croatia to be among countries worst hit by tourism collapse this year, says UNCTAD
Global tourism sector set to lose between $1.2 trillion and $3.3 trillion depending how long travel restrictions last, the UN’s trade and development body forecast.
Russians, Serbians, Turks the biggest property buyers in Montenegro
Foreigners bought €169.99mn of property in the tiny Adriatic country in 2019.
Polish PMI advances but remains below 50 points as restrictions lifted
IHS Markit points to the challenging business environment in the manufacturing sector as demand and capacity utilisation remained weak amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
Czech PMI slightly up in June but still under 50-point threshold
he Czech manufacturing sector showed signs of the downturn reversing in June, but the boost to output seemed to come largely from the processing of backlogs, IHS Markit said.
Russian corporate profits recovering, but still down by half on 2019 in April
Corporate profits started to recover in April, the last month with available data, but profits are running at slightly over 50% less than 2019 in March and April on a cumulative basis.
Real wages in Ukraine increased 1.4% y/y in May, after sliding 0.6% y/y in April
Real wages in Ukraine increased 1.4% y/y in May, after sliding 0.6% y/y in April, the State Statistics Service reported on June 30. The average monthly nominal wage rose to UAH10,542 a month ($393) from UAH10,430 in April.