27 February, 1998

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Director in charge: Mr Markku Suur-Kujala

Accelerated growth in output in December

Total output increased by 6.8 per cent in the year to December 1997. The Monthly Indicator of Total Output of Statistics Finland shows that output went up in all main sections of industry. In addition to exports, accelerated growth was also generated by domestic demand, reflected in rapid increases of output in construction, trade, and transportation.

Fuelled by commercial fellings, output in agriculture and forestry increased by 11.5 per cent in the year to December 1997. Output in manufacturing as calculated per working day grew by 9.1 per cent. Construction also continued brisk, with output up by 17 per cent. In transportation, output increased by 11 per cent, and in trade by 4.5 per cent, on the previous year. Other services and government services grew by 1.5 per cent.

The Monthly Indicator of Total Output is based on eleven monthly series on different sectors of the economy. The series are summed up by weighting.

Source: Monthly Indicator of Total Output 1997, December. Statistics Finland