ArmInfo. According to the  calculations of the Central Bank of Armenia, the increase in public  transport prices may have an impact of almost 0.5% on inflation. This  was stated by  Martin Galstyan, the Chairman of the Central Bank of  Armenia, during a press conference on December 10. He also noted that  this is the maximum estimate.

ArmInfo. Armenia is heavily reliant on foreign financial markets, particularly the Russian ruble market. Under these conditions, experience shows that a sharp devaluation of the Russian ruble can have a negative impact on our economy. Aghasi Tavadyan, the expert of the research center and founder of the analytical portal tvyal.com, shared these insights on his social network.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. In the consumer market  of Armenia, annual inflation in November 2024 amounted to 1.4%,  against a deflationary 0.5% in the same period of 2023. This was  provoked by an increase in tariffs for services by 3%, in parallel  with which there was an increase in the price of food products by  1.9% and a decrease in the price of non-food products by 2.1%. 

ArmInfo.Yerevan, November 23, 2024. ArmInfo. The announced withdrawal of the Armenian branch of the prominent international Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), a banking group with British roots, from the domestic market has raised a valid question within the country’s financial community: where will HSBC's clients, particularly its business clientele accustomed to international banking standards since 1996, go? The announcement earlier this year of HSBC Bank Armenia's acquisition by a bank with exclusively Armenian roots brought both reassurance and numerous questions. ArmInfo's Director General and economic observer Emmanuil Mkrtchyan sought to clarify the situation with David Sargsyan, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Ardshinbank.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Iva Petrova, visited Yerevan from September 18 to October 1, 2024, and held further virtual discussions afterwards for the fourth review under the Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with Armenia. At the conclusion of the discussions, Ms. Petrova issued the following statement:

ArmInfo.Armenia's GDP growth by the end of 2024 will be within 5%, but not 7% according to the  approved state budget and not 5.8% expected by the financial authorities in the draft budget for next year, Vardan Aramyan, an international consultant on public finance management and former RA  Finance Minister, stated in an interview with ArmInfo

ArmInfo.In the consumer market of Armenia, annual inflation in September amounted to 0.6%, with a  deflation of 1.1% for the first nine months of 2024. Comparatively, a year ago, during the same periods, annual inflation was  recorded at 0.1% and nine-month deflation at 2.3%. This is evidenced by the data  of the Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia for January- July 2024.

ArmInfo.The Asian Development Bank (ADB), having revised its April forecast figures for Armenia's macroeconomy, recently raised its GDP forecast for 2024 from 5.7% to 6% and at the same time sharply reduced its forecast for average annual inflation from 3% to 0.8%. ArmInfo's economic observer asked Grigor Gyurjyan,  senior economist at the ADB's Armenian mission, for clarification on the reasons for adjusting the figures in the latest issue of the Asian Development Outlook. 

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo.The Board of the Central Bank of Armenia believes that a lower refinancing rate is necessary to achieve the inflation target of 4% in the medium term and ensure price stability. In this context, on September 10, the Central Bank once again reduced the key rate by 0.25 percentage points - from 7.75% to 7.5%.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. The Eurasian  Development Bank (EDB) projects Armenian GDP growth at 7.5% in 2024.   This is stated in the EDB Macroeconomic Review for August 2024.  EDB  expects  that the Central Bank will continue reducing its refinancing  rate to 7.5% in late 2024.  "This will only happen if inflation  remains under the CB RA target range (4+1.5%). Inflation could  accelerate to 1.5% in 2024 amid strengthening domestic demand,  moderate weakening of the national currency, and likely further  reductions of the refinancing rate. We believe that monetary policy  will gradually cease its curbing of demand in 2024. The IBL rate will  fall to 7% in 2025, which will be on a par with the CB RA's stable  inflation target range."

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. According to the Central Bank of Armenia, a lower refinancing rate is necessary to continue to meet its price stability objective of ensuring an inflation rate of f4 percent over the medium term. This was announced by the Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia Martyn Galstyan, at a press conference on July 30. He presented the rationale for the regulator's decision to once again reduce the key rate by 0.25 percentage points to 7.75%.