YEREVAN. – According to data released by the Armenian National Statistical Service, the volume of trade in Armenia fell in December of last year, as compared to December 2012, Haykakan Zhamanak daily reports.

“This is an unprecedented phenomenon.

“This indicator means that the population of Armenia has made fewer purchases on this New Year than last year.

“The volume of trade had increased by 4.8 percent in December 2012, as compared to the same month in 2011, and the growth in 2011 was 6.7 percent, as compared to December 2010.

“The decline in the volume of New Year shopping [in Armenia] is due to the continuous decrease in the purchasing power of our population. And even the double-digit growth in the remittances from abroad is no longer able to prevent the decline in the purchasing power [of the people],” Haykakan Zhamanak writes.