Economic and social situation of Mongolia, as of Feb 2008
General Government budget
In the first 2 months of 2008, total revenue and grants of General Government budget amounted to 323.4 bin. togrogs and total expenditure and net lending 268.1 bln.togrogs. The General government budget overall balance was a surplus 55.3 bln.togrogs.
Current revenue of General Government amounted to 321.4 bln.togrogs and current expenditure 254.5 bln.togrogs. The budget current balance was a surplus 66.9 bln.togrogs, which was decreased by 28.0 percent or 26.0 bin. togrogs compared with the same period of previous year.
Compared with the .same period of previous year, tax revenue increased by 75.3 percent, of which taxes on foreign trade increased by 52.4 percent, value added tax increased by 43.7 percent and excise tax increased by 35.7 percent respectively.
Non-tax revenue reached 54.9 bin.togrogs. which decreased by 32.1 percent compared with the same period of previous year.
The shares of current expenditure and capital expenditure in the total expenditure and net lending amounted to 94.9 percent and 4.7 percent, which increased by 2.1 points and 1.8 points compared with the same period of the previous year, respectively. But share of net lending in the total expenditure and net lending amounted to 0.4 percent, which decreased by 3.9 points compared with the same period of the previous year.
Money, Loan and Stock market
According to the report of the Bank of Mongolia, at the end of February of 2008 preliminary result money supply (broad money, or M2) increased by 4.3 percent or 100.3 bln.togrogs over the January of 2008, reaching 2417.5 bin. togrogs and inscreased by 48.5 percent or 789.8 bln.togrogs compared to February of 2007. At the end of February, 2008 currency issued in circulation decreased 8.4 percent or 28.4 bln.togrogs compared to January of 2008, reaching 310.0 bln.togrogs and compared to 2007, increased by 38.1 percent or 85.5 bln.togrogs. Time saving deposits increased by 1.5 percent or 17.1 bln.togrogs over the January of 2008, increased by 43.2 percent or 346.4 bln.togrogs compared with February of 2007. reaching 1149.1 bln.togrogs: As for foreign currency deposits, they increased by 9.2 percent or 35.2 bln.togrogs reaching 415.7 bin. togrogs over the January of 2008 and increased by 48.5 percent or 135.9 bin. togrogs compared with February of 2007 . In the end of February 2008 the remainder of loans outstanding increased by 67.2 percent, reaching 2230.5 bln.togrogs, of which loans in private sectors increased by 78.9 percent, ‘individuals loans increased by 71.0 percent, other sectors increased by 10.0 percent, other financial corporations increased by 60.0 percent and public sectors decreased by
12.4 percent and respectively. Meanwhile, principals in arrears increased by 16.9 percent and substandard, doubtful, loss loans increased by 6.7 percent. The non-performing loans reached 68.3 bin. togrogs. which was 3.1 percent of the total loans outstanding.
The nominal rate of togrog against US dollar is 1171.82 togrog at the end of February 2008. Compared with Feb¬ruary of 2007. rate of togrog weaken by 0.7 percent. The nominal rate of togrog against EUR is 1768.39 togrog at the end of February 2008. Compared with February of 2007, rate of togrog weaken by 14.9 percent, the nominal rate of togrog against CNY is 164.69 togrog compared with February of 2007, rate of togrog weaken by 9.6 percent.
According to Mongolian Stock Exchange report, in February of 2008, the stocks were traded 20 times, in total 3.6 mln.stocks were traded and value of traded stocks has reached to 1.9 bin. togrogs. Compared with January of 2008, stocks were traded decreased by 68.5 percent and value of traded stocks decreased by 45.6 percent respectively, stocks were traded decreased by 80.5 percent and value of traded stocks in-creased by 6.0 percent compared with February of 2007.
During February of 2008, the TOP-20 average index increased by 1311.5 points compared with January of 2008, reaching 12085.4 point.
Total market capitalization of listed companies increased by 7.5 percent or 59.3 bin. togrogs compared with Janu¬ary 2008. reaching 847.5 bin. togrogs in February of 2008.
Consumer price index
In February 2008, the national consumer price index increased by 2.6 percent compared with previous month, by 4.6 percent from the end of previous year. The national aggregate index of food and non-alcoholic beverages group increased by 5.4 percent and that was the major contribution to the increase in the overall index of 2.6 percent. The prices of education and restaurants and hotels groups remained stable but the prices of communication group decreased by 0.2 percent the prices of other groups excluding above mentioned went up by 0.2-3.7 percent.
In February 2008, the consumer price index increased by 0.6-5.3 percent in all aimags and in the Capital city compared with previous month.
External trade
For the first 2 months of 2008, total external trade turnover equaled 830.6 mln. US dollars, of which exports 433.5 mln. US dollars and imports 397.1 mln. US dollars. Total external trade balance turned a surplus of 36.4 mln. US dollars. As compared with the same period of the previous year, total external trade turnover increased by 68.9 percent, ex¬ports by 58.2 percent and imports by 81.7 percent respectively.
As compared with the same period of the previous year, natural or cultured pearls, precious metal, jewellery export’ by 117.1 mln. US dollars, mineral products exports increased by 56.9 mln. US dollars, raw and processed hides, skins, fur and articles thereof exports by 0.4 mln. US dollars but textiles and textile articles decreased by 7.6 mln. US dollars base metals & articles exports by 2.7 mln. US dollars, live animals, animals origin products by 1.0 mln. US dollars respectively. The volume of copper concentrate exports decreased by 0.7 percent and their value in US dollars increased by 27.3 percent compared with the same period of the previous year. For the first 2 months of 2007 year, the average price of copper concentrate per ton was 1025.0 US dollars. But in the first 2 months of 2008 year, it was 1314.3 US dollars and increased by 28.2 percent. Compared with the same period of the previous year, mineral products imports, which are comprised high percentage in the imports, increased by 56.6 mln. US dollars, auto, air and water transport vehicles and their spare parts imports inreased by 35.2 mln.US dollars, machinery, equipment electric appliances, recorders, TV sets & spare parts imports by 23.0 mln. US dollars, vegetable origin products imports by 15.5 mln. US dollars, base metals & articles thereof by 9.5 mln. US dollars, food products by 5.5 mln. US dollars, chemical & chemical industry products by 4.7 mln. US dollars, but textiles and textile articles import decreased by 1.8 min.US dollars respectively.
Compared with the same period of the previous year, petrol’s import increased by 21.6 mln. US. dollars, car import by 10.4 mln. US. dollars, flour import by 10.3 mln US. dollars, but electricity import decreased by 0.6 mln US. dollars.
Balance of payments
Current account
For the fourth quarter of 2007, current account deficit of balance of payments equaled to 9.4 mln. US dollars, which was decreased by 51.4 mln. US dollars compared to the same period of the previous year. The deficit of goods and services and net income reached 4.8 mln. US dollars and 60.6 mln. US dollars respectivily. These are mainly influenced on deficit of current account. The 5.0 mln.US dollars of deficit of services were affected for turning a deficit of goods and services. Due to business activities’ expansion, growth of production and services and rise of foreign trade, the transportation service’s expenditure increased by 20.9 mln. US dollars compared to the same period of the previous year and it is mainly influenced on deficit of services.
But the current transfers’ surplus equaled to 56.0 mln. US dollars and increased by 11.2 mln. US dollars com¬pared to the same period of the previous year.
Services.
For the fourth quarter of 2007, receipts of services equaled 170.9 mln.US dollars, payments of services 175.9 mln. US dollars and services, net turned a deficit of 5.0 mln. US dollars. However the income of tourism sector increased, due to rise of total imports, the transportation and insurance expences were increased. These had an effect on services, net turned a deficit.
Capital and Financial account
For the fourth quarter of 2007, capital and financial account surplus equaled 164.9 mln. US dollars and increased by 103.5 mln. US dollars compared to the same period of the previous year. Foreign direct investment reached 168.5 mln. US dollars and increased by 5.1 times more or 135.2 mln. US dollars, compared to the same period of the previous year. Total mid and long term loan disbursement of Government of Mongolia from the donor countries, international banks and financial corporations reached 31.8 mln. US dollar. Also in current quarter, the Government of Mongolia paid the total 14.9 mln.US dollars of principle debt and interest payments, of which principle debt payments were 10.0 mln. US dollars and interest payments were 4.9 mln. US dollars respectively.
Industry
For the first 2 months of 2008, the total industrial output was 245.1 bln.togrogs at the constant prices 2005, that was more by 11.0 percent or 24.2 bln.togrogs with the previous year, Compared with the same period of previous year, industrial output has been increased by 5.6 percent -9.1 times for manufacture of food products and beverages, collection, purification and distribution of water, electricity, thermal energy, steam, manufacture of chemicals and chemical products, other mining and quarrying, manufacture of wood and wooden products, manufacture of furniture, manufacturing n.e.c, publishing, printing and reproduction of recorded media, production of other non-metallic mineral products, extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas, manufacture of basic metals, manufacture of rubber and plastic products, manufacture of tobacco products, manufacture of coke, refined petroleum products and nuclear fuel divisions and declined by 1.1 -77.9 percent for manufacture of textiles, mining of metal ores, mining of coal and lignite, extraction of peat, manufacture of wearing apparel, dressing and dyeing of fur, manufacture of medical precision and optical instruments, watches and clocks, tanning, dressing of leather, manufacture of luggage, handbags, saddlery harness, and footwear, manufacture of paper and paper products, manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment divisions. Compared with the same period of previous year, the production of 54.5% of main industrial products increased, while the remaining 45.5% decreased.
Production of main items of industrial products, electricity, thermal energy, distribution water, crude oil, fluor spar concentrate, processed milk, sour milk and yoghurt, bakery products, soft drinks, pure water, cigarettes, railway sleeper, book, “newspaper, briquette, medical tablets, injection, copper with 99%, lime, articles of iron concrete, increased by volume; copper, with concentrate, molybdenum, with concentrate, coal, gold, flour, camel woolen blanket, combed down, alcohol, wine, bread, sweets etc. decreased by volume.
For the first 2 months of 2008, production of industry (at current prices) on 394.1 bln.togrogs sold at domestic and foreign market.
Agriculture
In the first 2 months of 2008, 297.8 thous.adult animals have been lost, of which 141.3 thous.goats, 95.1 thous. sheeps, 36.4 thous.cattle, 24.7 thous. horses and 0.3 thous.camel. It increased by 277.6 thous.heads or 14.7 times more compared with the same period of previous year. 86.6 percent of the total losses accounted in Uvs (16.6%), Sukhbaatar (15.4%), Khovd (15.0%), Ovorkhangai (12.6%), Bayan-Olgii (11.9%).Zavkhan (8.1 %) and Khentii (7.0%) aimags.
Transport
In the first two months of 2008, 2507.2 thous.ton of freight and 712.3 thous.passengers (duplicated) were carried by railway transport. Compared with the same period of the previous year, the carried freight were increased by 2.2 percent or 53.3 thous.ton and carried passengers were decreased by 2.9 percent or 20.9 thousand persons. The railway transportation domestic carried freight were increased by 15.6 percent or 194.1 thous.ton and international carried freight were decreased by 11.6 percent or 140.8 thous.ton, compared with the same period of the previous year. The carried transit freight reached to 477.7 thous.ton, which is decreased by 35.0 percent or 256.8 thous.ton, compared to 2007, has been affected to drop of total volumes of international carried freight.
For the February of 2008, 266.9 ton of freight and 47.2 thous.passengers (duplicated) were carried by air transport. Compared with the same period of the previous year, the carried freight decreased by 1.7 percent or 4.7 ton and carried passengers increased by 5.8 percent or 2.6 thousand persons. The international carried passengers of air transport increased by 18.1 percent or 5.2 thousand persons and domestic carried passengers decreased by 15.8 percent or 2.5 thousand persons, compared with the same period of the previous year.
In the first two months of 2008, total revenue of railway and air transportation reached 42.3 bln.togrogs which decreased by 2.9 percent or 1.3 bln.togrogs compared with the same period of the previous year.
Unemployment
At the end of February 2008, the number of registered unemployed was 30.2 thousand that decreased by 5.1 percent or 1.6 thousand persons compared to the same period of the previous year.
The number of unemployed women was 17.0 thousand, which is 56.3 percent of total registered unemployed.
In the first 2 months of 2008, 3.2 thousand registered unemployed persons entered into work. Of whom 24.9 percent entered in government or state-owned enterprises and remaining 75.1 percent in joined companies, cooperatives or other types of employers, such as small-scale private businesses.
Health
The number of live births in the first 2 months of 2008 reached at 10.1 thous. This shows increase of 30.6 percent or 2.4 thous. The number of mothers delivered child was 10.1 thous. showing an increase of 30.5 percent or 2.4 mothers compared to the first 2 months of 2007. In the meantime the number of infant mortality under the age of 1 stood at 215 hence showing a increase of 32.7 percent or 53 infant mortality compared to the first 2 months of 2007. There was a decrease in under five mortality reach¬ing 47 which is by 7.8 percent or 4 children and the number of maternal deaths 3 showing an decrease of 66.7 percent or 6 mothers.
In the first 2 months of 2008, the under five mortality per 1000 live births was 26 showing an decrease 1 point and infant mortality per 1000 live births was 21 on an equal level compared to the first 2 months of 2007. The infant mortality rate under the age of 1 per 1000 live births was higher than the national average in Arkhangai, Bayan-Ulgii, Uvurkhangai, Govisumber, Dornogovi. Sukhbaatar, Khentii. Khuvsgul. Orkhon. Govi-Altai aimags.
The number of infectious diseases was 6.9 thous. showing a decrease of 1.3 percent or 91 persons compared to the first 2 months of 2007. To be specific increased the number of persons infected viral hepatitis by 2,3 times, varicella by 13.3 percent, syphilis by 4.8 percent and gonococcal infection by 3.7 percent. The number of persons infected by shigellosis declined by 10.6 percent, tuberculosis by 6.8 percent and trichomoniasis by 3.7 percent respectively. The viral hepatitis was spread by volatile, especially children of age kindergarten and school. According to the consideration of the professional organizations, the number of infectious viral hepatitis A was 93.4 percent in total number of infectious viral hepatitis has an negative impact on healthy condition of population.
In the first 2 months of 2008, total number of deaths were 2.6 thousand showing an increase of 10.5 percent compared to the first 2 months of 2007 and 26.1 percent of total deaths was registered in the hospital. Total 105.6 thous. persons took treatment in the hospital. The private hospitals has been. served 126.8 thous. persons and 974.2 mln.tug service. The number of persons served as hospital increased by 14.6 percent and also payment of service increased by 27.9 percent compared to the first 2 months of 2007.
Crime
The total number of crimes committed as of the first 2 months of 2008 was 3.3 thous, as increases by 0.5 percent or 15 compared to the same period of previous year. Increases were recorded in crime against ownership right 0.3 percent, (of which theft property 1.9 percent, mugging 21.8 percent), crime against population health 4.5 percent, offences against the freedom and health of individuals 9.8 percent, crime against child, family and social morality 12.1 percent, crime against administrative rule 19.2 percent, crime against economic entity 30.0 percent, occupational related crime 33.3 percent, crime against national safety 35.3 percent, negligent murder 66.7 percent, crime against military service 2.5 times, crime against human freedom, rights and reputation 4.0 times, crime against environmental protection 4.2 times. But decreases were recorded in crime against human life and health (or physical well-being) 0.5 percent, (of which: death due to unfortunate occasion 17.1 percent, attempted murder 36.0 percent), robbery 4.8 percent, fraud 14.0 percent, crime against traffic safety and use 14.9 percent, forgery 25.0 percent, crime against political and other rights and freedom of individuals 25.0 percent, crime against judicial procedure 57.1 percent. The crime caused 4.4 billion togrogs worth of damage, from which 42.7 percent or 1.9 billion togrogs are damage of individual property and 15.5 percent of total damages was restituned.
Climate and air pollution
Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology reveals that maximum precipitation was 7.8 mm in Ulaangom soum of Uvs aimag as of February. 2008. Absolute high air temperature reached 9.00C in Shinejinst soum of Bayankhongor aimag and Zamiin-Uud soum of Dornogovi aimag whereas absolute low air temperature was -50.00C in Otgon soum of Zavkhan aimag. Maximum wind speed was 24 m/s in Baatsagaan soum of Bayankhongor aimag and Zuunbayan-Ulaan soum of Uvrkhangai aimag.
Concentration of nitrogen dioxide exceeded from the maximum allowable concentration of air quality standard by 21 times around the west crossroad as well as 24 times in the 13th micro district and 11 times in the Bayankhushuu in Ulaanbaatar city and 9 times in the Darkhan soum of Darkhan-Uul aimag; and sulphur dioxide exceeded by 19 times in the west crossroad as well as 25 times in the 13th micro district, 15 in the Bayankhushuu and 7 times around the Misheel-Expo center in Ulaanbaatar city as of February. 2008.
Disasters
National emergency and management agency reveals that there were totally 472 disasters as of first 2 months of 2008. As result of those, its damage was 2.1 bln.togrogs, 44 people died, 190 dwellings have burnt fire and 5.5 thousand livestock had lost. By the types of disasters, there were 448 object fires and 2 rabies cases and 3 cases of anthrax have registered.
THE MONGOL MESSENGER
