ARTICLE 1ST QUARTER ECONOMIC STATS

ECONOMIC STATISTICS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER 2011-2012
(Haiti Libre) -

The Haitian Institute of Statistics and Information (IHSI) released the latest economic figures for the first quarter 2011 - 2012 (October to December). We publish in a summarized manner, the sectoral indicators to follow the sectoral evolution.

Industry:
Increase of 6.6% in the index of industrial production year on year and decrease of 2.2% over the previous quarter. This quarterly negativechange is the  result of the contrasting trends of different branches of activities in this sector. Indeed, the textile industry declined by 15.4%, while the other branches, including: food (2.3%), chemicals (5.0%), and metallurgical works (5.1%) showed an upward trend.

Energy:
Strong growth of 38.3% in the production index of electricity year on year and of 13.1% compared to the previous quarter. This quarterly increase comes particularly from  the improvement of  thermal production of 15.8%, against a decline in hydroelectric production of 3.0%. Billed consumption, meanwhile, recorded a downward trend of 8.2% year on year and  11.6% compared to the previous quarter, which contributes to an increase in the ratio of loss of unrecorded consumption (77.8%).

Construction:
Increase of 4.7% in the index of construction activity year on year and of 2.6% from last quarter. These positive developments for this quarter are consistent with the increase in the quantity of imported cement and to a decrease in the prices of some building materials, including iron (-13.5%) and wood (-2.2%)

Internal trade:
Increase of 17.9% in the index of business activity year on year and of 4.1% from the previous quarter. This positive quarterly growth in nominal value is supported by the Motor vehicle dealership (8.3%), parts and accessories for motor vehicles (14.0%), wholesale  food products (2.3%), other consumer goods (12.7%) and appliances, articles and household equipment (4.5 %). The other sub-branches  have trended downward.

Foreign trade:
Increase in the index of the average value of imports by 6.9% year on year and of 1.1% from last quarter. Meanwhile, the quantum index fell 3.9% year on year and 6.3% quarterly, which leads to an increase in the total value of imports by 2.7% year on year and to a quarterly decline of 5.3%.

Consumer price index:
Increase of 9.4% in the Consumer price index year on year and of 1.0% from the previous quarter. This quarterly increase is mainly due to increased consumption functions such as recreation, health services, and  housing, which grew respectively by 5.3%, 2.5%, 2.3% and 1.1%. Moreover, the price index of agricultural products, meanwhile, rose by 13.1% year on year and 4.5% from the previous quarter.