By Smbat Grigoryan

The US dollar is the “favorite” currency of the citizens of numerous countries, including Armenia. This preference is expressed vividly by the people’s deposits in commercial banks.

From January 2006 to January 2016, national currency and foreign currency deposits in Armenia have increased by 16 and 9 times, respectively.

Despite the slow growth in terms of percentage, the share of foreign currency deposits in the country remains high, and they were over 72 percent in January.

As of January, the amount of deposits of the “population” in Armenia increased within a year.

The people’s expenditures for the purchase of goods, however, show the opposite trend. In the year past, retail trade turnover decreased at current prices.

The conclusion is unequivocal: the gap has deepened between the rich and poor strata of Armenian society.