Telecom prices influence Czech inflation.(Brief Article)
According to a July 12, 2005 report on the AFX news wire (AFX is
the business wire of Agence France-Press), the end of a phone company
sales promotion had an impact on the country's inflation rate. . . .
Bulgaria moves ahead with reforms.(Brief Article)
In 2004, Bulgaria's unemployment rate was estimated at 12.7
percent by the CIA's World Factbook. So it is of some note that in
on June 23, 2005, the Sofia News Agency (Sofia) reported that . . .
Sweater sales increase in Europe.
The market for flat knitted tops for women in Europe is quite
substantial, according to a July 2005 market brief published by the
Center for the Promotion of Imports (CBI) based in Rotterdam. In . . .
Poland unemployment dulls consumer demand.
A look at the chart above shows Poland's GDP and inflation
statistics along with changes in the country's unemployment rate.
The statistics characterize the past decade, 1996 to 2005.
What is . . .
Stagnation among German consumers.
To look at the charts of "Households' assessment of the
economic situation" and "Propensity to purchase" in the
Bundesbank's "Monthly Report" for May 2005 is to see a
genuine consumer pessimism . . .
Scarce jobs sap French consumers' will.
Add France to the list of European Union (EU) economies that are
struggling. On June 21, 2005, France announced that it was cutting its
forecast of GDP growth to 2 percent from a target range of . . .
The EU prods Croatia on reform.(Brief Article)
"Structural reform" appears to be at the heart of
Croatia's economic difficulties, and the apparent divide between
macroeconomic success - GDP growth has averaged 4.1 percent since 2000,
according . . .
Italy officially enters recession.(Brief Article)
Opinion in Italy is divided into two camps - those who like what
conversion to the Euro has done for the country, and those who
don't like the Euro.
A poll reported in a June 10, 2005 story by . . .
Hungary's consumer spending slows.
Consumer spending in Hungary is at a low level, and aside from
caution on the part of Hungarians there are other reasons for the lack
of shopping enthusiasm. The central reason is that Hungary . . .
Bulgaria's economy grows.(Brief Article)
Bulgaria's GDP grew 6 percent in the first quarter 2005
compared to the same period in 2004. The country's National
Statistics Institute expects that when final results for 2005 are
available they . . .
Tableware and kitchenware in the European Union.
There have been major lifestyle changes in recent years in Europe,
and these lifestyle changes have had a significant impact on cooking and
eating habits. In turn, the changes in these habits have . . .
United Kingdom household spending stops growing.
United Kingdom (UK) households spend the biggest percentage of
their weekly outlays on their homes. This spending pattern has not
changed appreciably for the past five years.
These are two of the . . .
A soft patch for the Netherlands.
The Netherlands is the seventh largest economy in Europe, and third
in size in population among Western European countries (after Germany
and France). In terms of per capita income, the Netherlands . . .
Poland looks at 1 year of EU membership.(European Union)
On May 1, 2004, Poland became one of the 10 new members of the
European Union (EU). In light of the controversy surrounding the EU
constitution - particularly in regard to original member country . . .
Turks see EU membership in trouble.
The rejection of the European Union (EU) Constitution by France and
the Netherlands has unnerved the Turks. The prospect of years of talks
has business leaders and others in Turkey scrambling to . . .
More consumer spending in France.(Brief Article)
The Bank of France's bulletin for the first quarter of 2005
was released at the beginning of May 2005 and showed that French
households had increased their spending in the first quarter 2005 by . . .
Favorable growth this year for Romania.(Brief Article)
On May 24, 2005, the Website Reporter.gr (Athens) posted a story
saying that Romania's GDP would grow 5.5 percent in 2005.
Reporter.gr cited the European Bank for Reconstruction and . . .
No help in sight for Russia's consumers.(Brief
Article)
Russia appears to be caught in one of those economic paradoxes that
nearly defy logic. The good news is that the rise in oil prices at the
beginning of 2005 boosted predictions of economic growth.
. . .
European Union bodywear price segments.
The pricing of bodywear in the European Union (EU) illustrates
important characteristics of the advanced state of EU consumer markets.
Bodywear consists of six broad product groups for men and . . .
A mild recovery develops in Spain.
In April 2005, the Bank of Spain (BDE) published its
"Quarterly Report on the Spanish Economy" and concluded that
Spain was in the midst of a mild recovery.
The BDE said that household spending, . . .
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