Chile’s government reported a 2009 budget deficit of $7.2 bn, the equivalent of to 4.5% of GDP. Chile’s 2009 budget deficit exceeded expectation of 4.1% and was its widest since 1990, driven by a surge in government boosted spending aimed at addressing the adverse economic effects of the global financial crisis. Early in 2009 the [...]

Turkey’s exports in December came to $10.1 bn, up by 30.3% YoY from a fairly depressed December 2008 base that was heavily dented by the impact of the global financial crisis. FY 2009 exports came to $102.2 bn, down by 22.6% YoY. December imports were $14.9 bn, up by 33.8% YoY, while FY 2009 imports [...]

Poland’s GDP grew by 1.7% in 2009, well below the 2008 growth rate of 5%.
Poland’s government revised its GDP growth forecast for 2009 from 3.8% to 1.7% early in 2009 acknowledging expectations of a fallout from the global financial crisis.
Investment fell by 0.3% in 2009, while domestic demand declined by 0.9%.
According to Eurostat estimates, GDP [...]

Hungary’s Finance Ministry has revised its 2010 forecast of GDP contraction to 0.3% from 0.6%, and will be submitting the revised number to the EU before month end. In November 2009 the government was targeting a 0.9% contraction in its 2010 budget, before revising it to 0.6% at year end. The Finance Ministry plans to [...]

Hungary’s rate of unemployment in 4Q 2009 was 10.5%, unchanged from the September-November period, up from 10.4% during the August-October period, and up from 10.3% in 3Q 2009. Hungary’s unemployed numbered 442,100 in 4Q 2009, an increase of 105,000 versus 4Q 2008.

Export duties to go into effect on February 1 will be $270.7 per ton of crude oil, $194.7 per ton of light petroleum products, and $104.9 per ton of dark petroleum products.
As of January 1, 2010, the export duties in effect were $267.0 per ton of crude oil, $192.2 per ton of light petroleum products, [...]

Wages in arrears in Ukraine declined in December 2009 by 10.2% from UAH1.641 bn on December 1, 2009 to UAH1.473 bn on January 1, 2010, according to Ukraine’s State Statistics Committee. During 2009 wage arrears rose by 23.9% in nominal terms from UAH1.189 bn to UAH1.473 bn.

Ukraine’s alumina export in December 2009 rose by 2.1% MoM to 120.95 th tons, valued at $33.18 mn, but was down by 5.2% YoY from 127.56 th tons. Most of December’s alumina exports went to Russia – 114.27 th tons or 94.5%. FY 2009 alumina exports were down by 0.3% or 4.74 th tons to [...]

Real wages in Ukraine declined by 9.2% in real terms in 2009, according to the State Statistics Committee. Average wages rose sharply towards year-end, ahead of the presidential elections, with the end of December number reaching UAH2,233 per month, up by 14.2% on the month.

Ukraine’s state budget in 2009 ran a deficit of UAH19,865.6 mn, 37% lower than the planned deficit of UAH31,563 mn, said the Finance Ministry.
The 2009 consolidated budget, which includes state and local budgets, came in with a deficit of UAH21,606.9 mn. Principal debt repayment was in the amount of UAH31,304.7 mn, UAH30,552.1 mn from the [...]