ArmInfo.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. Armenia will launch a hotel classification system assigning categories ("stars"). This was  announced by Lusine Gevorgyan, head of the Tourism Committee of  Armenia.

ArmInfo.  Trade turnover between Russia and Armenia has decreased by two-thirds this year.  This was reported to journalists by Deputy Prime Minister Alexei  Overchuk on August 6, responding to a question from RIA Novosti.

ArmInfo. Electric Networks of Armenia CJSC will be transferred to trust management. RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced this at a government meeting on August 6.

ArmInfo. A company created specifically for this purpose, "Gaming Analysis and Monitoring System," founded by the Maltese company "Random Systems International LLC," will regulate gambling activities.

ArmInfo.  AMD 19.6bln will be allocated for the continuation of the road construction program in Armenia. The decision was made at a government meeting on August 6.

ArmInfo.IDBank has expanded its card portfolio with the new Mastercard World card, created for those who value convenience not only in their everyday purchases but also while traveling.

ArmInfo.Converse Bank is expanding its cooperation with Visa, a world leader in digital payments, by announcing the launch of a new phase of partnership focused on enhancing the customer experience and advancing customer loyalty solutions.    This phase of the partnership is particularly significant at the current stage of the Bank's strategic development, as the Bank continues to enhance its C360 ecosystem and the Converse Mobile application, delivering a more personalized and valuable experience for customers.     As the partnership enters a new phase, Converse Bank will gain access to Visa’s advanced technological solutions and global expertise, enabling the Bank to further enhance the capabilities of the C360 ecosystem, develop loyalty tools, and provide customers with value-added solutions while expanding access to innovative services tailored to their evolving needs.  Since the partnership began in 2002, Converse Bank and Visa have collaborated across a broad range of initiatives, from payment card products and international payment services to technology innovation, global expertise, and advisory support.   The new phase of the partnership highlights expanded opportunities to leverage emerging technologies, reflecting the evolution of banking beyond traditional financial services. Through access to Visa's technology solutions and expertise, the Bank aims to further strengthen its digital capabilities and deliver innovative, customer-centric experiences.

ArmInfo.In Armenia, economic activity growth accelerated to 7.9% annually in the first half of 2026 (up from 6.3% in the same period of 2025). urthermore,  the industrial sector managed to recover from a downturn into  double-digit growth, re-establishing itself as one of the key drivers  of economic growth.

ArmInfo.  At its meeting on August 5, the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) of the Republic of Armenia extended the thermal power generation license of  Hrazdan-5 CJSC, issued to Gazprom Armenia CJSC.

ArmInfo.  The Armenian government will obtain two new large loans totaling over $320 million to finance the country's 2026 state budget deficit. Approving these  loan agreements is included in the agenda of the Cabinet meeting to  be held on August 6.

ArmInfo. A regular meeting of the North-South Project Steering Council was held under the chairmanship of RA Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan.

ArmInfo.Taxing dividends of commercial bank shareholders carries distinct risks, as banks established in Armenia may consider re-registering their  organizations abroad. Daniel Azatyan, Chairman of the Union of Banks  of Armenia, expressed this opinion at a press conference on August 4.

ArmInfo. As a result of problems arising in certain export markets, the risk of a decline in income in the Armenian economy has increased, as well as the formation of an excess supply of certain goods, which has a predominantly  deflationary impact, as noted in the Central Bank of Armenia's  justification for its decision to maintain the refinancing rate at  6.5% this time.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. In June 2026, the interest rate on retail AMD loans with a maturity of 1 to 5 years decreased by only 0.4 percentage points (pp) compared to December  2025. Daniel Azatyan, Chairman of the Union of Banks of Armenia,  announced this  during a press conference on August 4.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. In the first half of 2026, Armenia's banking system generated a net profit of AMD 214 billion, exceeding the figure from a year ago by AMD 13.6  billion, or 6.8%. Daniel Azatyan, Chairman of the Union of Banks of  Armenia,  announced this  during a press conference on August 4.

ArmInfo.    As of July 2026, mortgage loans accounted for 20.3% of the total loan portfolio of Armenia's banking system, amounting to approximately AMD 1.8  trillion. Growth in the first half of the year exceeded 7%, while on  an annualized basis it reached nearly 16%. Daniel Azatyan, Head of  the Union of Banks of Armenia (UBA),  made this statement during a  press conference on August 4, while presenting the results for the H1  2026.