YEREVAN, December 18. /ARKA/. Armenia’s economic activity index went 32.6% down in the fourth quarter of 2009, compared with the third quarter, to 41.8%, but rose 2.7%, compared with the fourth quarter of the previous year, press office of the Central Bank of Armenia reports.

The country’s business environment index for the fourth quarter of 2009 fell 7.9% to 43.5%, and consumer confidence index dropped 3.3% to 43.2%, compared with the previous quarter.

The economic activity index is average result of respondents’ outlooks for industry’s output, orders and changes in industrial reserves.

The consumer confidence index is average result of consumers’ outlooks for changes in incomes, occupation rate and their views on the current economic situation.

The business environment index is average organizations’ views on changes in the economic situation and risks.

The Central Bank of Armenia started surveying financial and non-financial organizations as well as households in 2005.

The aim of these quarterly surveys is to estimate the current economic situation and public expectations, compared with things a year before, and to calculate and release component economic indices based on results of the public opinion polls.

The central bank surveyed 853 organizations in industry, construction and services sectors in ten provinces of Armenia. Respondent are surveyed through Internet, phone, letters and fax. -0-