ArmInfo. According to the Central Bank, by the end of 2017, inflation in Armenia is expected to be 2.5-2.6%. This was announced on October 30 by the CBA head Arthur Javadyan in an interview with the journalists in the National Assembly of Armenia after discussing the draft budget for 2018 in the permanent parliament on financial and credit and budget issues.

ArmInfo. The IMF predicts GDP growth in Armenia in 2017 by 3.5% with a slowdown in 2018 to 2.9%, against the actual growth of 0.2% in 2016. This is stated in the IMF's October report "Prospects for the Development of the World Economy: Looking for Sustainable Growth: Recovery in the Short-term, Long-Term Challenges" (World Economic Outlook, October 2017.  Seeking Sustainable Growth: Short-Term Recovery, Long-Term Challenges).

ArmInfo.On the consumer market  of Armenia in September 2017, inflation was registered at 0.2%, which  is due to the rise in price of non-food products by 1.3%, while the  tariffs for services decreased by 0.4% and the prices for food  products remained unchanged. In the capital, consumer prices rose by  0.4% in September. In January-September 2017, deflation in 1.7%  caused cheaper food products by 2.9% and non-food products by 0.8%,  while tariffs for services decreased by 0.6%.

ArmInfo. The Central Bank of Armenia has updated the unemployment forecast for 2017 - 17.9%, which is 0.2 percentage points higher than the previous bar.

ArmInfo. The Central Bank of  Armenia has improved the forecast for GDP growth in 2017 to 3.3-4.8%  and expects inflation in the region of 2.5%. At the same time, the  Central Bank did not change the medium-term forecasts for GDP growth:  in 2018 - 2.7-4.5%, in 2019 - 3.1-5.2%.  The previous forecast of the  Central Bank laid the GDP growth in 2017 by 2.2-3.2%, with  acceleration in the medium term to 3.2-4.4%. Head of the Central Bank  of Armenia Artur Javadyan stated this today in the National Assembly  of Armenia, presenting the updated monetary program, explaining that  the drivers of economic growth will be the industrial sector and the  agricultural sector, positive trends in private consumption and  investment.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. The Central Bank of  Armenia kept the refinancing rate at 6%. As the press service of the  Central Bank of Armenia told ArmInfo, this decision was made on March  28 at a meeting of the Board of the Central Bank. In accordance with  this, the rates for pawnshops and deposits attracted from banks  "froze" at 7.5% and 4.5% respectively.

ArmInfo. The higher level of   dollarization and slow decrease of deposit rates restrict the shunt  of the Central bank in respect to the further softening of  monetary-loan term, but the main task of the regulator is  to provide  the prices sustainability.  Such a statement was made by Arthur  Djavadyan, the Chairman of  the  Central Bank of Armenia,  while  commenting on the margins of his interview to ArmInfo  the  possibility of  review of  refinancing rate decreased  on February 14  this year from 6,25% to 6%. He reminded that in the beginning of the  stage of monetary loan terms softening it formed 10,5 %, after which,  starting with August 2015 the Central Bank started to decrease  step  by step the key interest rate, to give a pulse to inflation and  consumer demand. He clarified that the consumer prices in Armenia  have been decreasing in Armenia recently due to economic crisis  in  Russia, affecting the consumer demand for the reason of  Armenian  nationals  money  transfers decrease from  Russia. 

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. According to the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA), in 2017 unemployment in Armenia will make up 18.5%, with annual reduction by 0.3-0.4 pct points to 18- 18.2% and 17.6-18% in 2018-2019, respectively. The CBA's previous forecast made in November 2016 pointed out 18.3% unemployment for 2017, and growth from 17.8% to 18.1% for 2016. The updated (February) forecast is published in the CBA's monetary policy program for Q1 2017, which says that the low demand for labor force due to the low economy activity in 2016 will gradually recover due to the acceleration of the economic growth. This, in turn, will slowly increase employment.

ArmInfo. Participants of the  financial market of Armenia have revised their forecasts on inflation  saying it will decline to 2.8% in average versus earlier forecasted  3%, according to the results of opinion poll of participants of the  financial sector, which were presented in the CBA's Monetary Policy  Program for Q4 2016. This was ensured mainly due to insurance  companies whose inflation expectations are now 2.7% versus earlier  expected 3.7%. At the same time inflation expectation of banks and  loan companies have remained almost unchanged on the level of 2.5%  and 3.3% respectively.  Households have also softer inflation  expectations awaiting 0.9% versus previously forecasted 1.2%. 

ArmInfo. The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) has reduced the refinancing rate from 7.75% to 7.5%.  The CBA press office has told ArmInfo that the decision to reduce the rate by 0.25 pct points was taken during the June 28 sitting of the CBA Board held in Dilijan Educational and Research Center. 

ArmInfo. Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) has upgraded is economic growth forecast for 2016 from 2.2% to 3.2%. In 2017, the regulator forecasts a 3.5%-4.5% economic growth for Armenia, Arthur Javadyan, CBA Chairman, said in the parliament Thursday presenting the monetary policy for 2016.   

ArmInfo. The consumer market of Armenia saw 0.6% inflation in Nov 2015 due to the 1.7% growth in food prices (1.5% growth - alcohol and tobacco inclusive). The National Statistical Service of Armenia has told ArmInfo that the nonfood market saw 0.4% deflation and the tariffs of services remained at the same level. In Jan-Nov 2015, the consumer price index made up 98.2%, including 93.9% for food prices (including alcohol and tobacco), 104.3% for nonfood prices, and 101.2% for tariffs of services. In Jan-Nov 2015 versus Jan-Nov 2014, these indices made up 104.1%, 103.6%, 105.8% and 102.9% respectively, and in November 2015 versus November 2014 - 101.2%, 98.7%, 104.5% and 101.9%, respectively. In Jan-Nov 2015 the average monthly deflation in consumer prices made up 0.2% versus 0.1% inflation in Jan-Nov 2014.