Investments in manufacturing were down

In the third quarter of 2008 the volume of investments in the national economy– on the basis of preliminary data – decreased by 2.3% compared to the same period of the previous year – said KSH, the national statistic office.

 The value of investments came to HUF
1120.8 billion at current prices. Investments in the national economy
– according to seasonally adjusted volume indices – increased by
0.1% compared to the previous quarter. In the first three quarters a
total of HUF 2956.3 billion was spent on investments, 2.9% less at
constant prices than one year before.

Investments declined by 2.3% in the
third quarter of this year compared to the same period of the previous year, within which the volume
of construction investments fell by 6.5%, while that of machinery and
equipment investments rose by 5.3%.

Among the sections representing greater
weights investments in transport, storage and communication decreased by 12.8%,
mainly due to the decline of highway and other road constructions.

Investments in manufacturing were down
by 1.6%. Within this, investments in the manufacture of food
products, beverages and tobacco fell to the highest degree compared
to the level of the corresponding period of 2007, furthermore
decreases were observed in investments in the manufacture of
electrical and optical equipment and of transport equipment as well.
The volume of investments in real estate, renting and business
activities – including increasing dwelling constructions in the
third quarter – rose by 3.6% compared to the level of the same
period of the previous year.

The volume of investments grew by 14.2%
in wholesale and retail trade and repairs, having the largest proportion among the sections
representing medium and little weights in the national economy, and
declined in more than half of the sections, with the greatest
decrease recorded in other community, social and personal service
activities (26.4%).