Compared to the corresponding period of 2016, construction output in Latvia increased by 8.4% in Q1 2017. Construction production output at current prices amounted to 222 million euros. Construction output growth was recorded in all types of construction: 18.9% in construction of residential buildings, 7.2% in construction of non-residential buildings and 4.1% in construction of…
Compared to April 2016, the average level of consumer prices increased by 3.4% in April 2017. Prices of goods grew by 3.2% and prices of services by 4%. Compared to April 2016, the greatest pressure on the price changes was put by the rise in prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, goods and services related…
In spite of Latvia’s rapid economic growth, the country’s budget deficit is expected to rise considerably – from 0.8% of GDP this year to 1.8% of GDP next year, said Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis in Brussels in relation to the spring economic forecast. He says that in accordance with EC’s spring forecast,…
In January-April the Freeport of Riga handled 12.225 million tons of cargo, down by 0.3% YoY. Coal transshipment climbed by 16.1%, to 4,675,900 tons, oil products dropped by 31.3%, to 2,274,200 tons, wood pellets went up by 9.8%, to 291,700 tons, ore by 8.3%, to 108,200 tons. The port’s container throughput grew by 15.2%, to…
Latvia’s grey economy proportion was 20.3% of GDP last year. It is 1% higher in comparison with 2015, according to results of the data from the Grey Economy in Baltic States 2009-2016 study. The most common signs of grey economy in Latvia are undeclared income (42.1%), envelope wages (40.2%) and unregistered employees (17.7%). In Lithuania,…
In January-April the port of Ventspils handled 9.5 million tons of cargo, up by 25% YoY. According to the port authority, transshipment of Ro-Ro cargo grew by 26%, to 143,000 tons. Kalija parks handled 140,000 tons, Ventspils Nafta – 3.4 million tons, Eurohome Latvija – 367,000 tons. In April the port’s throughput surged by 60%…
The tax reform provides for a major increase of labor costs for small employers. In accordance with Finance Ministry’s offer, these companies will have to find more than EUR 13 million to, at the very least, maintain their business activities, Latvian Traders Association comments on the situation. Authors of the tax reform, on the other…