The year-on-year change in consumer prices, i.e. inflation, calculated by Statistics Finland slowed down slightly in August. It was 3.8 per cent in August, having been exactly four per cent in July. The slowing down of inflation was mainly due to the ending of the peak summer season for package tours and decreases in the prices of mobile communication services.
Turnover in service industries grew by 7.8 per cent in April to June from the corresponding time period of the year before. One year previously turnover in service industries grew by 5.8 per cent. Services are here examined exclusive of trade and the data have been adjusted for working days by eliminating the effects of calendar variations from them.
According to Statistics Finland, turnover in manufacturing in the April to June period was 10.0 per cent higher than in the corresponding period of the year before. Domestic sales grew by 12.1 per cent and export turnover by 8.3 per cent from one year ago.
The turnover of construction enterprises grew by 7.7 per cent in the April to June period when compared with the corresponding three-month period of the year before. In the latest examination period, the turnover of building construction went up by 13.1 per cent and that of specialised construction by 5.3 per cent. The turnover of civil engineering went down by 2.5 per cent.
Building costs were 3.7 per cent higher in August 2011 than in August 2010. Labour costs in construction rose by 2.2 per cent and prices of materials by 4.0 per cent in the year. Those of other inputs rose by 6.5 per cent. This is indicated by the Building Cost Index of Statistics Finland
According to Statistics Finland, retail trade sales rose by 5.7 per cent in July from July 2010. Sales volume also grew by 2.1 per cent during the same time period. Wholesale trade sales went up by 8.7 per cent and motor vehicle sales by 23.7 per cent. In total trade sales increased by 9.4 per cent in July.
According to Statistics Finland, the wages and salaries sum of the whole economy was 5.8 per cent greater in the past May to July period than in the corresponding period twelve months earlier. In July alone, the wages and salaries sum of the whole economy grew by 5.2 per cent year-on-year. In the May to July period one year ago, the wages and salaries sum grew by 2.0 per cent.
Computer giant Google has opened a new data center in the south eastern Finnish town of Hamina. The Minister of Economic Affairs Jyri Häkämies inaugurated the center located in a former paper mill on Saturday afternoon.
The Finnish Security Intelligence Service (SUPO) currently has better access to data relating to terrorism than before the 9/11 attacks. SUPO notes Finland will not be a significant target for an attack even though more people with terrorist contacts reside in the country than a decade ago.
A toxic gas leak forced the closure of a sports center in the Myllypuro district of Helsinki on Saturday afternoon. The leak occured in the swimming pool machine room.