Hungarian retail sales rebound in April, driven by non-food categories

Hungary’s retail sales data positively surprised in April with a calendar-adjusted increase of 5% y/y, the strongest growth in over a year and above consensus. Unadjusted data showed a 6.8% (chart) increase.

Hungarian industry shows signs of life in April, but recovery still fragile

Poland’s fertility rate sinks to just below 1.1 in 2024, a new historic low

Poland’s fertility rate fell to a historic low of 1.099 in 2024, Poland’s statistical office GUS said in a report, which deepened concerns about the country’s shrinking and ageing population.

Czech inflation accelerates to 2.8% y/y in May, according to flash estimate

Growth of consumer price indices (inflation) accelerated to 2.8% year on year, according to the flash estimate released by the Czech Statistical Office.

Analysts forecast meagre growth for Hungary after disappointing Q1 GDP data

Hungary’s economy has struggled to regain momentum since mid-2022, alternating between marginal gains and contractions.

Polish GDP records solid 3.7% y/y growth in Q1

Poland's GDP grew by 3.7% year on year in the first quarter of 2025, easing by 0.2pp against the preceding quarter, seasonally adjusted preliminary data released by the statistical office GUS showed on June 2.

Polish PMI suffers biggest decline in nearly three years in May

Poland's Purchasing Managers' Index dropped sharply to 47.1 in May from 50.2 in April, marking the steepest monthly decline in nearly three years.

Czech PMI drops to 48 in May, returning to downward trajectory

The Czech manufacturing PMI index compiled monthly by the S&P Global market intelligence company posted 48 in May, in a disappointing drop from 48.9 in April, when PMI posted its highest since 2022, and ended the upward trajectory from recent months.

Czech GDP increases by 2.2% y/y in Q1 after refinement

Czech statisticians refined the growth of the country’s gross domestic product to 2.2% year on year in the first quarter of this year, which is an improvement on the 2% preliminary estimate from last month.

Polish CPI growth eases to 4.1% as room expands for deeper interest rate cuts

Poland’s CPI eased to 4.1% year on years in May from 4.3% y/y the preceding month, the country’s statistical office GUS said in a flash estimate on May 30.

Poland’s GDP per capital more than doubles since joining the EU – OWID

In May 2004, ten countries joined the European Union in its largest expansion. These new members entered the EU’s internal market, allowing the free movement of goods, services, capital and people.

Polish retail sales surge in April

Polish retail sales grew 7.6% year on year at constant prices in April, beating the consensus, which had expected a 3.4% annual increase, the statistics office GUS said on May 26.

Drill down into Poland’s presidential election voting patterns

Poland’s presidential election will go to a second-round run-off after centrist candidate Rafał Trzaskowski and conservative Karol Nawrocki finished in a close contest in the May 15 first round.

Slovak unemployment dropped to 3.71% in April

Unemployment in Slovakia (PDU) dropped by 0.01 percentage point month-on-month to 3.71% in April, reaching the lowest level of unemployed persons on record since 1993 for the second consecutive month.

EC slashes Hungary's growth forecast to lowest in region, below tepid EU average

Hungary's economic recovery remains sluggish, with the country projected to significantly underperform its Central European neighbours in both growth and investment, according to the European Commission's spring forecast.

Borsa Istanbul leads world markets in dollar-basis losses

Turkey’s exchange-traded fund down 9.5% in year-to-date. Thai performance second worst at 6.5%.

Polish economy grows 3.8% in first quarter as momentum holds steady

Polish GDP grew 3.8% year on year in the first quarter of 2025, slightly below the revised 3.9% increase recorded in the previous three months, seasonally adjusted data from the Central Statistical Office showed in a flash estimate on May 15.

Slovak inflation eases to 3.7% y/y in April

Czech unemployment stagnates at 4.3% in April

Czech unemployment remained at 4.3% in April, the same level as in March. Year on year, the unemployment increased by 0.6 percentage point, or by 38,462 persons.

Slovak industry returns to growth of 3.5% y/y in March

Slovakia’s industrial output increased by 3.5% year on year and by 0.7% month on month in March, registering the first month of growth this year.