ArmInfo. Foreign trade turnover of Armenia in Jan-Jul 2016 increased 2.3% year over year to 1,283.3bln drams ($2,658.8mln). By preliminary data of the National Statistical Service, this upward trend was prompted by a 16.5% growth of exports to 467.7bln drams ($969mln), amid 4.4% decline of imports to 815.8bln drams ($1,689.9mln). Unfavorable balance of foreign trade fell 19% y-o-y to 348.3bln drams ($720.8mln). For July alone, this indicator fell 19.2% to 38.6bln drams ($81mln).
According to the source, in July 2016, foreign trade turnover fell 7.1%, as exports and imports fell 3.3% and 9.5% respectively. As compared to July 2015, this indicator fell 1.3%, as imports fell 9% amid 13.2% growth of exports.
A year ago, in Jan-Jul 2015, foreign trade turnover fell 24% (20.8% in July alone), as imports and exports fell 30.7% and 4.4% respectively (18.4% and 25% decline respectively, in July alone). For comparison, in Jan-Jul 2014, Armenia's foreign trade turnover increased 3.5%, with exports and i8mports growing 2.8% and 3.7%, respectively. In July 2014, foreign trade turnover increased 17.2%, as imports and exports grew 18.3% and 14%, respectively.
According to statistics, economic activity increased by 3% in Jan-Jul 2016 amid 16.5% exports growth. In July 2016 versus July 2015, the economic activity fell 4.3%, but grew 2.5$ for July 2016 alone. A year ago, in Jan-Jul 2015 versus the same period of 2014, this indicator increased 4.2%, and in July 2015 versus July 2014 - 4%, and 9.2% for July alone. For comparison, in 2014 the economic activity increased 4.1% y-o-y for Jan-Jan and 19.2% for July alone (a 7.2% y-o-y growth).
In July 2016, the AMD/USD average exchange rate was 476.52 AMD/1USD, and in Jan- Jul 2016 - 482.81 AMD/1USD versus 477.33 AMD/1USD in July 2015 and 476.93 AMD/1USD in Jan-Jul 2015.