International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics
Monday, 17.06.2019, 00:10
Nord Stream 2: The Russian gas pipeline splitting the European Union in two
14.06.2019The dogs may bark, but the caravan moves on. Russia’s state-owned gas company Gazprom gave an update on progress of the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in early April.
Keyword tags: Analytics, Direct Speech, EU – Baltic States, Gas, Gas Market
Although Lithuania’s financial system is stable, both external and internal risks prevail
14.06.2019Despite the deteriorated international environment, Lithuania’s financial system is stable, while banks’ resilience to potential shocks remains high. The country’s financial system is subject to two key risks: financial imbalances in the Nordic states that Lithuania’s banks are interconnected with and stronger activity in Lithuania’s credit and real estate (RE) market. Banks are increasingly more willing to grant loans to households, even though corporate lending has slowed down. Such trends are revealed in the latest Financial Stability Review of the Bank of Lithuania.
Foreigners have made half a million Tax Free purchases in Latvia
14.06.2019According to the data summarized by the Tax Free Shopping concept creator Global Blue, during the last 20 years, tourists from 179 countries have done shopping in Latvia, making more than 520,000 purchases in our shops, informed Global Blue representative.
Lithuania registers positive migration balance for 4th month in a row
14.06.2019Lithuania registered a positive migration balance for the fourth successive month in May as more people came into the country than left, with economists pointing to rising wages and facilitated immigration processes as determining factors, informed LETA/BNS.
Lithuania remains dependent on imported energy
14.06.2019Lithuania used more energy resources last year, and the country remains dependent on imported energy, reported LETA/BNS.
29.2 mln Tallinna Sadam shares change hands in 1st year of listing
Thursday marked a year since the listing of Estonian port company Tallinna Sadam on the Nasdaq Tallinn stock exchange on June 13, 2018 and altogether 29.2 mln of the company's shares changed hands over the course of the company's first year of listing.
Global Peace Index: average level of global peacefulness improved
The results this year show that the average level of global peacefulness improved very slightly in the 2019 GPI. This is the first time the index has improved in five years, informed Institute of Economics and Peace.
Latvian market of non-alcoholic beverages grew by more than a third in Q1 - Aldaris
During the first quarter of this year the Latvian market of non-alcoholic beverages expanded by more than a third, representatives of Latvia’s Aldaris brewery informed citing data from Nielsen research company, writes LETA.
Number of new foreign investments projects in Latvia drops significantly – study
Last year 34 new foreign investments projects should be started in Latvia compared to 53 new investments projects started in 2017, according to a study conducted by EY audit company referred LETA/BNS.
Vasiliauskas: Lithuania’s experience helps shape international fintech best practices
As emphasised today during the joint high-level seminar held by the Bank of Lithuania and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), financial technologies (fintech) have a vast potential to benefit consumers and boost economic growth, yet fintech development needs to be properly managed to ensure resilience to potential risks.
Prices continue to rise much faster in Estonia than in the euro area as a whole
Prices continue to rise much faster in Estonia than in the euro area as a whole.
The Estonian external economy was in balance in the first quarter
The current account of the Estonian balance of payments was in surplus by 70 million euros in the first quarter of 2019, which is the same as in the first quarter of 2018.
Lending continues on a gradual upward trend in Latvia
Latvia's domestic loan portfolio expanded in April. As expected, however, the increase was not very steep. Deposits grew only in the household sector, whereas corporate deposits and the total amount of deposits declined slightly.
29% of entrepreneurs in Latvia have started feeling effects of recession - survey
A total of 29% of entrepreneurs in Latvia admit they are starting to feel effects of recession amid slowing economic growth, shows the European Payment Report 2019, released by Intrum credit management services company citing LETA.
Spring-2019: European economy’s account
Several times during a year (at winter, spring and autumn), the Commission delivers assessments of the member states socio-economic development, which -being formally treated as “recommendations”- in fact are having quite serious impact on national planning. Below are some vital aspects from the Commission’s spring forecast which shall be taken into account by the Baltic States’ governments.
OECD’s review shows Latvian main problems 
