ArmInfo. Eurasian Development Bank (EDB)  analysts point to a downward trend in the equilibrium real effective  exchange rates of all the countries of the Bank's region of  operations (except Armenia), which has intensified under the  influence of the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is  stated in the bank's report "Assessment of Unobservable Economic  Variables in EDB Member Countries''.

ArmInfo.The government started to increase expenditure (especially capital expenditure) in March-June 2020. 

ArmInfo.One of the most significant consequences of the coronavirus pandemic may be an increase in centrifugal forces simultaneously with a new round of weakening globalization in the world. This is stated in the report published today "Eurasian  Economic Integration - 2020", prepared by the Center for Integration  Studies of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB).

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. Rating-Agentur Expert RA confirmed the  sovereign government credit rating (SGC) of Armenia at 'BB-'  (Sufficient level of creditworthiness of the government) in national  currency and at 'BB-' (Sufficient level of creditworthiness of the  government) in foreign currency, this is stated in the official press  release of the Armenia credit ratings sovereign.

ArmInfo. The new forecast of the  Central Bank of Armenia indicates a 4% drop in GDP in 2020 with a  5.5% increase in 2021. This is stated in the Central Bank's monetary  policy program for the Q2 of 2020, published today, in connection  with which the Head of the Central Bank, Martin Galstyan, convened a  press conference.

ArmInfo. Lydian Armenia  announced the change of the company engaged in ensuring the safety of  the Amulsar mine development project. This was said in a statement.

ArmInfo. In June 2020, the  Public Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia will make a final  decision on gas tariffs.

ArmInfo. The World Bank (WB) has  updated its forecast for Armenia's GDP for 2020 to worsen - it is  expected to decline by 2.8% with a subsequent 4.9% growth in 2021,  against the actual growth of 7.6% in 2019. This was stated in the WB  June report "The Global Economic Outlook During the COVID-19  Pandemic".  It should be noted that earlier, in its May forecast, the  World Bank predicted a slowdown in Armenia's GDP growth in 2020 to  1.7%, not excluding the negative scenario of a possible decline.

ArmInfo.In the near future, a  capital market development strategy will be submitted for approval by  the Armenian government. On June 8, Minister of Economy of the  Republic of Armenia Tigran Khachatryan stated this at a hearing in  parliamentary commissions on a preliminary report on the  implementation of the state budget of 2019.

ArmInfo.S&P predicts a 2% drop in GDP in Armenia in 2020, against an actual growth of 7.6% in 2019. And in 2021, according to S&P expectations, Armenia's GDP will grow by 4.9%. 

ArmInfo.The identified shortcomings in the report of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in the aviation sector of Armenia relate to shortcomings and  problems that have accumulated over decades, and not just recent  years. On May 6, RA Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan stated this  during questions and answers at the RA National Assembly. In this  vein, he emphasized that the Civil Aviation Committee (CAC) to  eliminate identified shortcomings initiated tough measures that have  not been carried out by the department for years.

ArmInfo. World Bank (WB) forecasts for Armenia's GDP for 2020 look better than those for its neighboring countries and EAEU. According to the WB economic report "Combating COVID-19. Economic Perspective in the Europe and Central Asia Region"  (Fighting Covid- 19. ECA Economic update), in 2020 in Armenia GDP  growth will reach 1.7% (according to the baseline scenario) , while  in Georgia GDP is expected to grow by 0.1%, in Turkey - GDP growth by  0.5%, and in Azerbaijan GDP is projected to decline by 0.2%.

ArmInfo.According to the IMF forecast, the decline in GDP in 2020 will be more significant in the countries neighboring with Armenia. Namely, in Georgia GDP is  expected to fall by 4%, in Azerbaijan - by 2.2%, in Iran - by 6%, in  Turkey - by 5%. In Armenia, GDP is projected to fall by 1.5%.

ArmInfo.Fitch is revising the outlook on the ratings of Armenian banks towards "Negative", following the same worsening outlook on the sovereign rating of  Armenia. This was reported by Fitch in a report published on April  16.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo.The previous forecast of the Central Bank on GDP growth was voiced based on the solution of issues relevant at that time. On April 16, Martin Galstyan, candidate  for the post of chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia, said this  the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia.

ArmInfo. According to the new World Bank forecast, the GDP growth of Armenia in 2020 will be 1.7% (according to the baseline scenario), with acceleration in 2021 to  4.5% and in 2022 to 4.7%. This is stated in the WB economic report  "Fighting Covid-19. ECA Economic update''.  

ArmInfo. So far, it is still difficult to foresee the positive progress in terms of FDI in the real sector of the Republic of Armenia. Deputy Minister of Economy  Avag Avanesyan stated this during a meeting of the RA NA Standing  Committee on Regional and Eurasian Integration.

ArmInfo.According to the forecast of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Armenia, a slowdown in foreign trade turnover is expected in 2020, with a slight  acceleration in 2021. In particular, export growth will slow sharply  to 2.5% in 2020, with an acceleration to 7.5% in 2021, while import  growth will slow to 7.5% in 2020 with the continuation of this trend  and to 6.5 in 2021 % This forecast was published on April 3 in the  ADB economic report, Asian Development Outlook 2020.