Polish manufacturers continue in recovery mode in March, latest PMI reading shows

Poland's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) inched up 0.1 points to 50.7 in March, the economic intelligence company S&P Global said on April 1.

Romania’s PMI negative for ninth consecutive month

Despite decline in PMI, Erste analysts say there has been an improvement in the external environment thanks to fiscal stimulus programmes adopted by Romania's trading partners.

Serbia's growth hampered by political unrest in first quarter of 2025

Serbia’s economic growth is projected to slow to around 3% in the first quarter of 2025, as political unrest and ongoing protests continue to disrupt the country, according to a flash estimate cited by President Aleksandar Vucic.

Bosnia’s GDP growth slows to 2.5% y/y in 4Q24

Growth is expected at 2.5-2.6% in 2025 according to Bosnia's central bank and IFI projections.

Czech PMI posts 48.3 in March, highest since June 2022

The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for Czechia, compiled monthly by market intelligence company S&P Global, posted 48.3 in March.

Russian manufacturing sector PMI goes into the red for the first time since April 2022, posting 48.2

Russia’s economic slowdown continued with the S&P Global manufacturing PMI going into the red for the first time since April 2022, shortly after the war in Ukraine started, posting 48.2, less than the 50 no=change benchmark.

Czech central bankers keep interest rate at 3.75%

Czech National Bank (CNB) kept the interest rate unchanged at 3.75%, meeting wide market expectations. The rate is the lowest since January 2022.

Turkey burns through towards $30bn in reserves after detaining Imamoglu

Regime has struggled to stabilise the financial markets but, as things stand, the situation does not threaten its survival.

Romania’s macroeconomic confidence index declines amid recession fears

Decline reflects growing concerns over economic uncertainty and a potential recession.

Polish retail sales disappoint in February

Polish retail sales fell 0.5% year on year in constant prices in February, defying the consensus, which expected a 3.2% annual increase.

Kosovo’s trade gap up 13.6% y/y in February

Exports dropped by 4.3% y/y to €67.3mn in February, while imports were up 10.9% to €518.6mn.

Polish industrial production fall 2% y/y in February

Poland’s industrial production contracted 2% year on year at constant prices in February (chart), after a revised fall of 0.9% y/y the preceding month, unadjusted data from the statistical office GUS showed.

Polish PPI deflation deepens slightly in February

Poland's producer price index fell 1.3% year on year in February (chart), following a revised fall of 1% y/y in January, the country’s statistics office GUS said.

Moldova keeps base rate at 6.5% despite disappointing economic growth

Previously the BNM hiked the monetary policy rate twice since the beginning of the year to address rising inflation prompted by regulated energy prices

Slovak unemployment drops to 3.79% in February

Global cereal production grows faster than populations, says OWID

The world's population has more than doubled over the last 60 years, but global food production has managed to keep up, Our World in Data (OWID) reports.

Uzbekistan welcomes 678,700 foreign visitors in January, up 30% y/y

Country ambitious to host 12mn this year compared to 8.2mn last year.

Bulgaria’s consumer inflation speeds up to 4% in February

Consumer prices declined during 2024 but have recently started to rise with the strongest increase in restaurant and hotel prices.

Moldova’s GDP close to a standstill in 2024 due to weak agriculture

Value added generated by agriculture, accounting for 7.1% of GDP, contracted by 19% in 2024.

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.