In Central and Eastern Europe , economic growth has continued fairly steady this year. In several countries, investments are expected to increase this year at a higher rate than in 2000 and the same trend is expected to continue in 2002. Industrial output will this year not reach the record growth rates of 2000. Even in Russia, the growth has already passed its peak, but clear further growth is forecast for both industrial output and investment for both this and next year. Some of the Latin American countries have encountered severe market difficulties this year.
Worst hit is Argentina where even industrial output and investments have declined.
These are, however, expected to show higher growth rates next year than in 2001 in several countries in the region. In Finland , this year's growth predictions must be checked down considerably during the autumn, compared with those made in the spring, mainly owing to a fast turn-down in the export trends. Next year, industrial output is expected to grow by a few percentage points and investments to increase at the same rate as in 2001.