Page 10 - BELRptJuly18

The unemployment rate in Belarus stood at 0.5% as of March 1st, 2018. Unemployment Rate in Belarus averaged 1.36% from 1995 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 4% in December of 1996 and a record low of 0.50% in December of 2012.
4.5.1 Nominal wages dynamics
The real disposable money income in Belarus increased by 7.4% year-on-year in January-April , according to news agency BELTA . The real disposable money income of individuals is calculated as monetary income minus taxes, duties, and fees adjusted bearing in mind the index of consumer prices for goods and services. Salaries accounted for 64% of the total money income, revenues from doing business and other gainful activities - 7.9%, transfers to the population (pensions, welfare benefits, scholarships, and other kinds) – 23.5%, property income and other kinds of revenue - 4.6%.
Real disposable cash earnings are expected to grow by 3.4% year-on-year in 2019 , the nation's Economy Minister Vladimir Zinovsky said on June 12 without providing the 2018 forecast, according to BELTA government news agency.
The government has set itself a target of bringing nominal average wages to over BYN1,000 per month ($498.78) irrespective of the effect that will have on inflation. However, thanks to mild inflation so far this year the population has seen real gains in the value of their income.
4.5.2 Retail sector dynamics
Retail trade in Belarus increased by 10.1% to BYN17.2bn ($8.6bn) year-on-year in January-May , according to the national statistics agency Belstat. Wholesale trade totalled increased by.3% y/y to BUN36.4bn in
10 BELARUS Country Report July 2018 www.intellinews.com