YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenian GDP grew by 10.3% in January-August 2008 on the same period of 2007 and made 2 trillion 164 billion 567.8 million drams (about 7 bln 68.44 mln USD). The GDP index-deflator made 109.6%. According to the RA National Statistical Service, industrial production grew by 2.2% in Armenia in January-August 2008 on the same months of last year and made 496 bln 157 mln drams. The gross agricultural output increased by 7.8% to 347 bln 380.2 mln drams, construction - by 12.8% to 465 bln 849.6 mln drams, retail trade - by 6.3% to 593 bln 639.2 mln drams, and services grew by 15.1% to 453 bln 999.3 mln drams. The foreign trade of Armenia increased by 24.8% in the indicated period as compared with January-August 2007 and amounted to 3 billion 308.9 million USD, with exports declining by 4.8% to 696.8 mln USD, while imports growing by 36% to 2 bln 612.1 mln USD. Consumer prices rose by 9.5%, industrial production prices by 6% in January-August 2008 on January-August 2007. The number of officially registered unemployed persons declined by 7.8% in late Augsut 2008 as compared with late August 2007 and made 75,600. The average monthly nominal salary made 88,983 drams in the first eight months of 2008 (21.2% growth on the same period of last year), including salary of employees of budgetary institutions - 62,721 drams (17.8% growth) and that of employees of nonbudgetary institutions - 110,154 drams (20.1% growth). The average exchange rate of the US dollar made 306.23 drams in January-August of this year (in 2007 this index made 342.08 drams).

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