Finland's economy continues on the verge of overheating

The broadly based and very buoyant upswing that started in 1999 continued in 2000, resulting in an increase of real GDP of about 5½%. Despite a significant improvement in the labour market, the average annual unemployment rate fell by only half a percentage point to 9.8%. Consumer prices increased at a 3% annual rate. In 2001 economic growth is expected to weaken with real GDP growing by nearly 4¼%. With further improvements on the labour market, unemployment will drop to 9%, on average.