Retail sales slipped again in the second month of the year, according to provisional data for the month. The volume of retail sales fell by 0.2% in February 2009 compared with February 2008, having inched up by only 0.8% in January. Retail sales have taken a clear downturn since November, when they fell for two
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The deficit on trade in goods shrank by more than a fifth in the first two months of 2009 as oil prices tumbled, compared with the same period of the previous year. According to the Statistical Service Cystat, total imports/arrivals in January-February 2009 amounted to EUR 859.7 mln compared with EUR 1,091.1 mln in January-February
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Falling cement sales and rising unemployment in the construction sector suggest that construction in Cyprus is doing badly at present. But the future appears already to be brighter, according to the forward-looking statistics of building permits. The value of building permits has been rising for nine straight months. In February the value of building permits
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. BY OZAY MEHMET Before uncorking the champagne bottle to celebrate, the Greek Cypriot side should take a realistic step back and ask: What exactly has been won? And what comes next? The ECJ decision is simply unenforceable. By its own choice, the EU’s own acqui communataire is suspended and inoperative in north Cyprus. And
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. A few nights ago, at a comfortable modern house not far from Zakaki, set amid citrus groves and gardens, two men met for the first time, both of whom I admire greatly. Both built businesses from very little – one an icon of the restaurant trade in Cyprus, the other a figure of achievement
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. The need to promote the ‘Made in Cyprus’ branding for goods within the current financial crisis, the urgency to attract tourists from alternative markets and the unique opportunity to market the island’s quality services, is increasing the demand for a stronger Cypriot presence at international markets, exhibitions and centres of decision-making. Even the upcoming
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Aiming to leverage the long-term potential of the Middle East hospitality industry, which is expected to record robust growth rates and reach an estimated 68.5 million arrivals by 2020, Al Basel Consultancy has devised an up-selling strategy for its joint sales campaign in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar targeting VIPs and royalties. Al Basel is
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. In this time of great economic uncertainty and lack of liquidity, real estate companies are looking for ways to effectively manage risk, streamline operations and enhance their business relationships so they can hit the ground running when markets begin to stabilise, according to Howard Roth, Global and Americas Real Estate Leader, Ernst & Young.
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CyprusAid, the Development Cooperation Service of the Republic of Cyprus, which is currently engaged in an ambitious EUR 4.4 mln overseas aid programme, will engage local non-governmental development organisations in future projects. Dr. Andreas Moleskis, the energetic Permanent Secretary of the Planning Bureau who has been appointed to head the Cyprus EU Presidency office in
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CyprusAid, the Development Cooperation Service of the Republic of Cyprus, is marking its fourth anniversary and looking forward to an active overseas aid programme in approved projects worth EUR 4.4 mln. CyprusAid is the coordinating body through which Cyprus implements its Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) programme. It is managed by a team headed by the
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