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ECONOMY

Denmark’s central bank predicts Ukraine war will slow economy

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is likely to slow economic growth in Denmark, the Nordic country’s central bank said on Wednesday.

Director of the Danish National Bank Lars Rohde
Director of the Danish National Bank Lars Rohde at a September 2021 press briefing. Photo: Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau Scanpix

In its latest prognosis for 2022, Nationalbanken forecast the economy will grow by 2.1 percent this year. That is a notable drop from the previous forecast, 3.1 percent, which was made in September 2021.

The war in Ukraine is expected to weaken Danish growth by 1 percent in isolation.

This is due in particular to higher price increases and more uncertainty around consumption and investments globally and in Denmark.

“The human consequences of the invasion are unbearable and my thoughts go to the Ukrainian people,” the director of the National Bank, Lars Rohde, said in a statement.

“If we are to look at the economy in the midst of all of this, the invasion and wide-ranging sanctions against Russia will have consequences for businesses and households,” he said.

“The assessment of the National Bank is that the war will reduce GDP growth by around 1 percent and increase inflation by around 2 percent this year,” he said.

READ ALSO: Why is food becoming more expensive in Denmark?

Last year saw Denmark’s GDP increase by 4.1 percent, the largest increase since 1994. Inflation was 1.9 percent in 2021.

The remarkable growth in GDP, which came as the country emerged from Covid-19 shutdowns, is not expected by the National Bank to be repeated this year. The new forecast of 2.1 percent growth is predicted to be repeated in 2023 according to the latest prognoses.

It is then expected to reach 1.7 percent in 2024.

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ECONOMY

Better-than-expected Danish economy frees up 11 billion kroner for budget

Denmark's finance minister said on Friday that recent good news for the country's economy had freed up an extra 11 billion kroner (€1.5bn) for government spending.

Better-than-expected Danish economy frees up 11 billion kroner for budget

“The long and the short of it is that the Danish economy is rock solid,” Nicolai Wammen told Denmark’s Ritzau newswire after the announcement. “But we also live in a world of great uncertainty: it is important to remember that only a year and a half ago we had the highest inflation in 40 years.” 

Wammen said that better-than-expected employment figures had pushed the ministry to adjust its estimate of its spending leeway under Denmark fiscal rules by 11.25 billion kroner between 2024 and 2030. As a result, he said, he planned to earmark an addition 4.1 billion kroner for public spending in 2025. 

“Over 3 million are in employment, and the progress in employment has been particularly high in the private sector,” he said in a press release. “At the same time, unemployment is low.” 

He pointed to the increase in the number of labour migrants coming to Denmark as a result of the government’s policies, adding that more reforms would be needed in future to increase the labour supply due to a demographic situation which meant the country was about to see a larger number of people retiring than coming into the system. 

“With the reforms that have been implemented and are underway, the government has increased the labor supply by 29,000 full-time workers in 2030. The government aims to increase the labor supply by 45,000 full-time workers,” he said. 

The increased spending leeway, he said, would make it easier for the government to take Denmark through some of the major changes it needs to make in the coming years. 

“This gives us an even stronger foundation for handling the challenges we face. At the same time, we must also continue to be aware that we still need more hands and minds in both the public and private sectors if we are to ensure growth, welfare, green transition and our security in Denmark, among other things,” he said. 

Wammen told the public broadcaster TV2 that much of the extra money would be used to increase funding to municipalities and the regional governments who run Denmark’s healthcare system. 

But also warned that it was important that the government does not shift to a more expansive economic policy that breathed life back into inflation.

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