ArmInfo. In Armenia, the growth of economic activity in January-September 2018 to the same period of 2017 accelerated from 5.1% to 6.5%. According to preliminary data of the RA Statistical Committee, only in September 2018, the growth of economic activity was 8.5% with an annual growth of only 0.2%, against the last year's September growth of 10.1% and an annual growth of 2.5%.
The growth of economic activity in January-September 2018 largely determined the services sector - by 19.1% per annum, and in the lesser trade - by 9.6%, construction - by 7.6% and the industrial sector - by 4%, and power complex growth was only 0.5%. Against this background, the agricultural sector demonstrated an annual decline of 4.8%. A year earlier, in January-September 2017, by the same period of 2016, growth was recorded in the services sector - by 12.8%, in trade - by 12.5%, in the industrial sector - by 11.9%, and in the energy complex - by 6.5% , and the agricultural sector and the construction sector were in decline - by 9.9% and 6.4%, respectively.
The industrial production price index increased by 2.3% in January-September 2018 compared to the same period in 2017, only in September 2018 - by 0.2%, and compared to September 2017 it decreased by 1.1%. A year earlier, in January-September 2017, over the same period of 2016, the price index for industrial products increased by 3.8%, in September 2017 compared to September 2016 - by 4.1%, and only in September 2017 - by 0.1%.
On a monthly basis (in September), the agri-sector, which increased the volume by 50.7% (against 36.3% growth in September 2017), gave a decisive impetus to the growth of economic activity. The monthly growth of the remaining spheres was much more modest: the service sector - 5.7% (against 5.9% growth in September 2017), the construction sector - 4.4% (against 11.1% growth in September 2017), trade - 2.1% (against 3.1% growth in September 2017), industrial sector - 0.6% (against 4.7% growth in September 2017). The power complex in September 2018 showed negative dynamics (11%), against a more modest decline in the same month last year (1.7%).
In annual terms (September 2018 by September 2017), the decline was recorded in the agricultural sector and energy complex - by 17.7% and 5.5%, respectively, while the remaining areas showed growth, with the most impressive uptrend in the service sector - 19, 8%, followed by the commercial sector - 8.8%, the construction sector - 3.5% and the industrial sector - 0.9%. A year earlier, in September 2017 to September 2016, growth was recorded in the services sector - 16.2%, in the commercial sector - 14.2%, in the industrial sector - 8.3%, in the energy complex - 5.2% and in the construction sector - 1.3% , and the only decline - in the agricultural sector - by 11.6%.
According to statistics in January-September 2018, in absolute terms, the leadership is held by the commercial sector with a volume of 2.04 trillion. drams ($ 4.2 billion). The service sector ranked second - 1.3 trillion drams ($ 2.61 billion), displacing the industrial sector to third position - 1.2 trillion ($ 2.58 billion), fourth place - agriculture - 595.1 billion drams ($ 1.2 billion), and the fifth - construction sector - 245.9 billion drams ($ 510 million). The volume of electricity generation in January-September 2018 was 5776 million kWh, of which 588 million kWh. - only in September. At the same time, the foreign trade turnover of Armenia in January-September 2018 amounted to 2582.7 billion drams ($ 5355.7 million) with an annual growth of 22.4%. In its structure, the volume of exports has undergone an annual growth of 11.6% to 855.4 billion drams ($ 1774.1 million), and imports - an annual growth of 28.6% to 1727.3 billion drams ($ 3581.6 million). In September 2018, by September 2017, Armenia's foreign trade turnover decreased by 3.6% due to export growth by 14.8%, while imports grew by 2.7%, and only in September 2018, a drop in foreign trade turnover by 10.1% provoked 9.3% and exports by 11.6%. A year earlier, in January-September 2017, foreign trade turnover increased by 21.7% due to growth in exports by 19.1%, while imports grew by 23.2%. In September 2017 by September 2016, Armenia's foreign trade turnover increased by 23.1% due to growth in imports by 29.1% and more modest export growth by 11.7%. In September 2017 alone, Armenia's foreign trade turnover increased by 10% due to a 22% increase in imports, while exports fell by 9.6%. The average settlement rate of dram in September 2018 was 483.82 others / $ 1, and in January-September 2018 - 482.21 others / $ 1, against 478.24 others / $ 1 in September 2017 and 482.59 others / $ 1 in January-September 2017