Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- In March 2021, the Business Activity Index (PMI), calculated by the Center for Economic Research and Reforms, amounted to 1,187 points, compared to the corresponding month of last year increased by 18.7%.

The business activity index rose sharply both in relation to the previous month and the same month last year in upward since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020).

Various changes were observed in the components of the PMI.

The business activity index in March 2021 increased by 12.7% and amounted to 1127 points, compared to the previous month, which is explained by changes in the following components:

- the number of transactions on bank accounts of business entities increased by 15.7%;

- the component of operating economic entities increased by 8.1%;

- the intensity of purchasing raw materials on the commodity exchange increased by 10.2%;

- the component of trade marks increased by 44.4%.

Regionally, the Republic of Karakalpakstan showed the highest growth.

In March 2021, the PMI for all regions increased compared to the previous month (February 2021). Significant growth was observed in the Republic of Karakalpakstan (45.3%), Andijan (27.0%), Jizzakh (20.7%) and Khorezm (20.0%) regions.

OPERATIONS WITH BANK ACCOUNTS

The number of interbank payment transactions in March 2021 amounted to 5,049.7 thousand and increased by 686.8 thousand transactions (15.7%) compared to February 2021.

The number of banking operations in all regions has increased.

In March 2021, the number of banking transactions between legal entities, compared to the previous month, increased in all 14 regions. In particular, the most significant growth was observed in Tashkent city (18.8%), Surkhandarya (18.8%), Andijan (17.3%), Bukhara (15.7%) and Namangan (15.0%) regions. ...

ACTIVITY ON COMMODITY EXCHANGE

In March 2021, the exchange component of the IDA was 1.1023, which means an increase in the component level by 10.2% compared to the previous month. The increase in the component level is associated with an increase in the number of transactions by 19.3%.

At the Republican Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange, the total turnover in March 2021 amounted to 5.44 trillion soums, which is 12.0% more than in the previous month.