Events, data and analysis from the Baltic economies
Country coverage
Events, figures and analysis from Baltic.
All three Baltic countries recorded faster export growth in September 2026 than in August, but the composition differed: petroleum products dominated Lithuania's increase, Latvia recorded gains across several commodity groups, and Estonia saw a sharp rise in exports…
Read →Lithuania led Baltic export growth in August 2026, but mineral products generated more than 40% of the increase in both Lithuania and Latvia. Estonia’s exports rose by 3.5%, while goods…
Annual HICP inflation August September Lithuania 5.6% 6.1% Estonia 1.3% 3.0% Latvia ~3.0% ~2.9% Euro area 3.2% 3.8% Lithuania remained the clear Baltic inflation outlier in September, with annual HICP…
Ryanair says it could significantly expand its Baltic operations if airport charges are reduced, including potentially increasing its Lithuania-based fleet from four to eight aircraft. The airline has also spoken…
Estonian media group Ekspress Grupp, through LT Screens, has completed the acquisition of 100% of Lithuanian outdoor advertising operator LT Advert. LT Advert operates more than 400 advertising locations across…
Lords LB Asset Management has cancelled the public offering of Baltic Core Property Fund units in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia after investor demand proved insufficient. The fund had offered up…
airBaltic says planned changes under its new business model could affect around 500–700 positions across its bases in Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn. The airline currently employs around 3,000 people in…
Estonia led August growth, but Lithuania still leads the accumulated rise The August retail figures produce a simple Baltic ranking. Real retail sales volumes were 6% higher year on year…
5 October 2026 · Baltic Latvian alcoholic-beverage producer Amber Latvijas balzams has moved production of its Rīgas šampanietis sparkling wine from Latvia to Lithuania as the company restructures operations amid…
All three Baltic economies are expected to grow next year, yet their governments face increasingly difficult budget calculations. Lithuania is preparing for a larger deficit despite rising tax revenue, Latvia…
Latvia is tightening controls on grain shipments from Russia and Belarus just as the Baltic route is becoming increasingly important for Russian exports. The Saeima has introduced border controls allowing…
Estonia’s government has approved its 2027 state budget and the 2027–2030 budget strategy, with expenditure of €20.2 billion and revenue of €19.4 billion. The general government deficit is projected at…
Latvia has declared a nationwide agricultural emergency after prolonged rainfall disrupted harvesting and autumn field work. The immediate problem is not only the crop still remaining in fields. Wet soils…
Venipak is increasing capacity across its Baltic parcel network while its acquisition by DHL awaits regulatory approval. The company says it is investing more than €2.5 million in Baltic infrastructure…
The EBRD has raised its 2026 GDP growth forecasts for Latvia and Estonia to 2.4%, while leaving Lithuania’s forecast unchanged at 3.0%. Compared with the Bank’s June outlook, the Latvian…
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have effectively moved the common operational horizon for Rail Baltica from 2030 to 2034, while narrowing the first-stage priority to a continuous Tallinn–Kaunas–Poland backbone. On 22…
Passenger trends diverge across the Baltics as airlines reshape winter routes, including a marked reduction in direct services between Lithuania and Germany.
PhotoArtificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday life in Latvia, while Baltic businesses move from adoption to assessing its economic benefits.
PhotoIn the Baltic states, preparations for winter have traditionally been judged by one figure: the amount of natural gas stored at Inčukalns in Latvia. On 8 November 2026, the underground facility held 12.86 TWh, equivalent to 52.7% of…
PhotoAn established refinery faces a costly decision as new industrial capital enters Estonia. ORLEN is weighing the cost of completing the Mažeikiai refinery modernisation, while Turkish defence manufacturer ARCA Defense has secured an operating permit for its planned…
The Baltic states continue to attract international technology companies and business service centres. Yet some of the employers that helped establish the region’s reputation are now cutting staff. The reductions have continued for at least two years, often…
PhotoRussian and Belarusian grain transit through Latvia reached 888,000 tonnes by 6 October 2026, up 36.3% from the 652,000 tonnes recorded for the whole of 2025, according to customs figures reported by Latvian Television. September accounted for nearly…
PhotoThe main signal is divergence rather than a uniform regional trend. Pipedrive, Coolbet, Swedbank and airBaltic are preparing workforce reductions, while Baltic companies continue to acquire businesses, invest in manufacturing and expand into export markets. September retail sales…
PhotoThe European Commission has flagged conflicting climate targets in Lithuania, an €8.23 billion gap between Estonia’s renovation cost estimates and Latvia’s plan to defer more than 80% of investment until after 2040.
PhotoEstonian investment group Infortar, which controls ferry operator Tallink and energy group Elenger, has completed its €63 million acquisition of Lithuania’s Litagra. The deal adds dairy farms, turkey and broiler production, animal-feed manufacturing and crop farming to an…
PhotoRetail sales were higher than a year earlier in all three Baltic states in September, just before the heating season began in October. Lithuania recorded annual growth of 5.6%, Latvia 4.5%, and Estonia around 4%. Consumer demand held…
PhotoAs Estonian and Lithuanian property developers show growing interest in Riga, the differences between the Baltic capitals’ housing markets are attracting attention. An October 2026 comparison by Baltic Focus, using data provided with permission by Live Baltic, an…
PhotoOn 26 October 2026, EU fisheries ministers reached a political agreement to increase Baltic sprat catches by 44% next year. Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are set to receive a combined quota of more than 88,000 tonnes. But the…
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