Key events in EMEA next week | ING Economics

Hungary: Upside GDP surprise expected following the pre-election spending spree

In Hungary, the main calendar event of the next week is the release of the first-quarter GDP data. As this is only a flash estimate, we hardly get any information about the growth structure. But we are expecting a major upside surprise in economic activity, taking into consideration the first quarter output of the industry, retail and construction sectors. With massive quarter-on-quarter performances in these areas, we are looking for an acceleration in GDP growth. This great outcome can be seen as a temporary phenomenon, as the pre-election spending spree of the government gave a boost to the real disposable income of households alongside the roughly 20% minimum wage increase.