Hi

latest figures released signal the continued growth of the Czech economy:

The statistical office has released preliminary results for Q4 2007 which reported GDP growth of 6.9% year-on-year. This is the fastest economic growth recorded sine the introduction of new methodology by the Czech Statistical Office in 1996.

It reported that growth was driven by household consumption, business investments, and external trade, the latter of which recorded especially strong growth.

The statistical office also released unemployment figures for the Czech Republic this week:

The general unemployment rate according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) derived for the age group 15-64 reached 4.7%, i.e. the minimum level since the mid-1997. Compared to Q1 2007 it decreased by 1.3 percentage points. In the long term the general unemployment rate in the Czech Republic is below the EU average and below the euro area average.


Noreen