YEREVAN. - The main efforts of Armenia’s Economy Ministry in 2015 were aimed at raising the competitiveness and development of opportunities.

Economy Minister Karen Chshmaritian stated the aforementioned during the discussion chaired by Armenian PM Hovik Abrahamyan.

According to the Minister, despite the unfavorable developments by the end of 2014 and beginning of 2015, January-September 2015 saw a 3.5 percent rise in GDP. The economic activity index was 103.1 percent in January-December. The industrial output produced amounted to 1.3 trn AMD, a 5.2 percent growth as compared to last year

It was also reported that in 2015 investments constituted $296,7 mln, exceeding the index for the analogous period of last year by 80 mln.

The Minister informed that over 450 companies and 1300 specialists actively worked in the IT sphere last year. The turnover constituted nearly $550 mln, the growth being about 17 percent.

It was also reported that the total amount of loans for the development of small end medium business constituted about 5.4 bln AMD at a 10 percent rate. 89 percent of loans were provided to 10 provinces, the rest being used in Yerevan.