OREANDA-NEWS. December 16, 2010. Foreign trade turnover for the 10 months of 2010 has grown by 43.1% to make up USD 81 billion. Tat was announced at today’s government sitting by Minister of Economic Development and Trade Ms. Zhanar Aitzhanova.

The nation’s exports for the period grew by 52.6% making up USD 51.4 billion, with imports growing by 29.1% (USD 29.6 billion).

According to the Minister, the foreign trade turnover was bolstered by favorable global prices for commodities and growth of exports-oriented sectors.

“For the 10 months, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and the other Customs Union member states totaled USD 13.5 billion, with Russian accounting for 90% of the figure. As compared to the like period of 2009, trade turnover with Russia and Belarus grew 1.3 times and 1.4 times respectively”, Minister Aitzhanova said.

Capital investments for the period decreased 0.9%. “At the same time, the share of domestic investments [out of businesses’ own funds] grew from 33.8 to 45.2%, with the share of investments coming from the state budget growing from 18% to 21%... Overall investments into the agriculture grew by 14%, into industrial production 15.4%, into the construction sector by 52.8%”, the Minister elaborated.

According to Finance Minister Bolat Zhamishev, as of December 1, the state budget deficit stood at KZT 491.4 billion, which is 3.1% of the national GDP. The figure should not exceed 3.5%, according to the ministry’s estimates.