YEREVAN, JUNE 20, NOYAN TAPAN. GDO grew by 9.8% in Armenia in January-May 2008 on the same months of last year and made 982 bln 149.4 mln drams (about 2 bln 871.1 mln USD). The GDP index-deflator made 107.7%. According to the RA National Statistical Service, industrial production declined by 0.4% in the country in January-May 2008 on the same period of 2007 and made 287 bln 712.1 mln drams. The gross agricultural output increased by 1.9% to 94 bln 515.5 mln drams, construction - by 14.9% to 135 bln 318.7 mln drams, retail trade - by 4.3% to 331 bln 918.7 mln drams, and services grew by 10.6% to 221 bln 843 mln drams. Armenia's foreign trade grew by 29.6% in the period under review as compared with January-May 2007 and made 1 bln 982.1 mln USD, with exports growing by 0.2% to 421.9 mln USD, while imports - by 40.8% to 1 bln 560.2 mln USD. Consumer prices rose by 8.9%, industrial production prices - by 4.7% in January-May 2008 as compared with January-May 2007. The number of the unemployed fell by 22.1% in late May 2008 as compared with late May 2007 and made 76.4 thousand. The average monthly nominal salary made 86.85 thousand drams in the first five months of 2008 (22.9% growth on the same period of last year), including the salary of employees of budgetary institutions - 60.775 thousand drams (16.6% growth), that of employees of nonbudgetary institutions - 109.621 thousand drams (24.5% growth). The average exchange rate of one US dollar made 308.11 drams in January-May 2008 (in 2007, this index made 342.08 drams).

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