OREANDA-NEWS. The flash estimate from Statistics Estonia shows that the Estonian economy grew by 1.9% over the year to the second quarter, and by 0.8% over the quarter, adjusted seasonally and for the number of working days. The growth in manufacturing output in recent months and figures for exports had indicated that the economy grew more slowly than the flash estimate showed, but the flash estimate indicates that while exports did act as a brake on growth, they did so by less less than the amount added by domestic consumption.

Exports mainly declined because demand in Russia is weak and exports to other markets have not been able to compensate fully for this (see Figure). The index of European economic confidence strengthened again for the second consecutive quarter. However, there are few areas of the Estonian economy that are able to benefit quickly from the improvement in the European economy and increase exports, as traditional target markets for exports by Estonian companies have been faring less well.

Exports to Russia dropped by one third in the second quarter, which reduced GDP growth by around one percentage point. Exports to Russia fell by less than they did in the first quarter, when they halved. Exports to Russia largely consist of products from other countries and so the main impact of the reduction in exports was felt by companies providing intermediation services and transport companies. The rouble has continued to slide in recent weeks, making it likely that Russian demand for imported goods will remain low.

Although manufacturing output declined, the sector still made a positive contribution to GDP growth. This means that the value added of manufacturing industry must have grown, with fewer inputs being used for a similar volume of output. Wood production has boosted output from manufacturing, and has grown relatively stably in recent years. The fall in the price of energy meant that the energy industry and oil production had a negative impact on industrial output in the second quarter.

Although wages and household incomes have started to grow more slowly, retail sales and consumption have continued to grow rapidly. Available data on corporate financial results for the second quarter indicate that major investments were made in the second quarter, but they are likely to have had a one-off impact on economic growth. There is more spare production capacity in most sectors than there was before the economic crisis of 2008, and production can be increased without major investment. Spare capacity shrank during the second quarter however, meaning there was probably an increase in the need for investment in growing sectors.