Polish core inflation rate eases to 3.6% y/y in February

Poland’s core inflation, an indicator that measures price growth without including prices of food and energy, eased growth to 3.6% y/y in February after a gain of 3.7% y/y the preceding month.

Polish inflation rate eases to 4.9%, raising hopes for faster decline to central bank target

Poland’s consumer price index grew 4.9% year on year in February, the same expansion rate as the heavily revised – due to the annual changes in the inflation basket – gain of 4.9% y/y the preceding month.

Hungary's automotive sector continues to struggle amid weak demand

Hungary's automotive industry, a key pillar of the country's export-driven economy, continued to show signs of strain in January, as the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office confirmed ongoing declines in production and new orders.

Hungarian government to introduce caps on supermarkets' profit margin to rein in inflation

The Hungarian government will cap retailers' profit margins on some staples at 10% from the middle of March and last until the end of May.

Slovak industry falls by a disappointing 5.2% y/y in January

Slovakia’s industrial output fell by 5.2% year on year and by 7.3% month on month, significantly deepening its mild December dip of 0.1% y/y and ending the growth period registered for much of the second half of 2024.

Slovak GDP grew by 2% in 2024, the highest since 2021

Slovakia’s gross domestic product increased at constant prices by 2% in 2024. It was the highest GDP growth since 2021, Slovak statisticians reported following the confirmation of the 2024 final quarter figures.

Polish manufacturers end nearly three years of depression as PMI moves past 50-point mark

Poland's Purchasing Managers' Index increased 1.8 points to 50.6 in February, the economic intelligence company S&P Global said on March 3.

Polish GDP growth surge in Q4 confirmed

Poland's GDP growth surged to 3.7% year on year in the fourth quarter (chart), picking up after a revised gain of 2% y/y in the previous quarter, according to seasonally adjusted preliminary data released by the statistical office GUS.

Slovak unemployment inches up to 3.92% in January

The unemployment level in Slovakia (PDU indicator) continued to inch upward in January to 3.92% after it inched up to 3.81% in December. Unemployment dropped year on year by 0.05 percentage points.

Real wages in Hungary rise at fastest pace in 30 years in 2024

Gross wages in Hungary averaged HUF646,800 (€1,620) and net wages came to HUF430,100 last year, both up 13.2% year on year, according to data from the KSH.

Polish PPI moves closer to positive territory in January

Poland's producer price index (PPI) fell 0.9% year on year in January (chart), following a revised fall of 2.7% y/y in December, the country’s statistics office GUS said on January 22.

Polish industrial production declines 1% y/y in January

Poland’s industrial production contracted 1% year on year at constant prices in January (chart), after a gain of 0.2% y/y the preceding month, unadjusted data from the statistical office GUS showed on February 22.

Polish inflation unexpectedly jumps to 5.3% y/y in January

Poland’s consumer price index rose to 5.3% year on year in January (chart), up from 4.7% in December, data from the country’s statistical office GUS showed on February 15.

Polish GDP growth accelerates to 3.7% y/y in Q4

COMMENT: Upside inflation risks build across CEE

Inflationary pressures across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are intensifying, with higher-than-expected consumer price index (CPI) data prompting a shift in monetary policy expectations across the region, says Capital Economics.

Czech January inflation confirmed to have slowed down to 2.8% y/y

Czech consumer price indices increased by 2.8% year on year and by 1.3% month on month after the Czech Statistical Office confirmed its previous y/y inflation growth estimate.

Hungary ranked most corrupt country in EU in Transparency's CPI index

Hungary has retained its ranking as the European Union's most corrupt country for the third year in a row, according to the 2024 report released by Transparency International.

Hungary's January inflation soars to 5.5%, 0.7pp above forecast

Hungary's January inflation surprised analysts by accelerating more than expected, with the annual rate jumping from 4.6% to 5.5% (chart), driven by the rise in food prices and higher tax levies.

Czech unemployment rises to 4.3% in January

Unemployment in Czechia rose to 4.3% in January, a 0.2 percentage point increase from December’s 4.1%. Altogether, 320,516 job applicants were registered with the country’s Labour Office in the traditionally high unemployment month of the year.

Slovak industry slumps by 0.7% y/y in 2024

Slovakia’s industrial output fell by 0.7% year on year in 2024 after registering a mild drop of 0.1% y/y and an increase of 1.1% month on month in December.