Economics

The Cyprus Composite Leading Economic Index (CCLEI) continued its positive year-over-year growth trend in April 2023, providing further support for the economic forecasts of the Cypriot economy. Despite expectations of a slowdown, the economy is seen avoiding a recession, as indicated by the Economics Research Center (ERC) of the University of Cyprus' Economics Department.

The share of the Turkish population in rented houses was 27.2 percent in 2022, rising from 26.8 percent in the previous year, data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) have shown.

The share of the population living in their own dwelling declined from 57.5 percent in 2021 to 56.7 percent last year, according to TİUK's poverty and living conditions survey.

A quarter of Greek retail businesses disappeared altogether in the decade from 2010 to 2020, an indication of the heavy price paid by the sector during the financial crisis and then during the pandemic crisis, according to an Alpha Bank analysis.

Nouriel Roubini can't seem to shake the nickname "Dr Doom," but his predictions are usually gloomy. This reputation was confirmed in a discussion with Kathimerini on the sidelines of the Delphi Economic Forum, where he was one of its pre-eminent guests.

BELGRADE - According to an Ipsos survey, the Serbian financial sector expects inflation to be 8 pct in March 2024, unchanged relative to the previous six surveys, the National Bank of Serbia (NBS) has said.

In a statement, the central bank said an April Bloomberg survey reported lower one-year-ahead expected inflation (7.0 pct).

The Greek current account deficit fell by 3 billion euros in the January-February period this year compared with the corresponding period in 2022, to stand at €1.5 billion, the Bank of Greece said on Thursday. 

Falling wholesale food prices worldwide have not led to a drop in prices set by UK supermarkets, but the British Retail Consortium said that change was about to happen.

Inflation in Britain was expected to fall below 10 percent last month, but rising food prices prevented that from happening and, although there was a slight drop reported, it remained just above 10 percent.

In a pre-election period, sober assessments in general - and regarding economic developments in particular - do not prosper. Each party must present them in a light that favors its own narrative to voters, with a certain one-sidedness. The drop in unemployment in Greece is one side of the story.

The government has extended caps on the retail prices of electricity and natural gas for households, small commercial consumers and protected consumers until the end of the year, as has caps on retail electricity prices paid by SMEs.

BELGRADE - Serbian March inflation was 0.9 pct m-o-m and 16.2 pct y-o-y, with food and energy price increases still accounting for about two thirds of headline inflation, the National Bank of Serbia (NBS) said.

In a statement, it said m-o-m and y-o-y inflation in March was "in line with NBS projections for Q1."