Wednesday, August 19, 2026 The English edition of ostwirtschaft.de Newsletter
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Central Europe Economic Terminal

Auto-updated from primary sources · 19 Aug 2026, 00:48 CET
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Poland key rate 3.75%, CPI 3.0% · Czechia key rate 3.75%, CPI 1.1% · Slovakia key rate 2.25%, CPI 3.0% — from 10 primary sources. Below: cross-country matrix, productive sectors at PPP (Sapir view), 24-month trends, structural signals incl. food-spending shares and quick answers.

BRENT$91.350.0% GAS TTF€63.92+3.5% GOLD$4,396+0.2% WHEAT¢679+0.3% COPPER$6.47+0.4% EUR/USD1.1576-0.1% USD/PLN3.73+0.4% USD/CZK20.89+0.1% USD/HUF314.70+0.8% BRENT$91.350.0% GAS TTF€63.92+3.5% GOLD$4,396+0.2% WHEAT¢679+0.3% COPPER$6.47+0.4% EUR/USD1.1576-0.1% USD/PLN3.73+0.4% USD/CZK20.89+0.1% USD/HUF314.70+0.8%

Key indicators latest available · period shown per value

CountryFX / USDFX Δ1YCPI YoYKey rateReal rate GDP 2025GDP 2026fGDP 2027f Unemp.C/A %GDP 2026fDebt %GDP 2026f
Poland 3.731PLN +1.6% 3.0%Jun 2026 3.75%18 Aug +0.8% +3.6% +3.1% +3.0% 3.1%Jun 2026 -0.7% 64.3%
Czechia 20.89CZK -1.3% 1.1%Jun 2026 3.75%18 Aug +2.7% +2.6% +1.8% +1.9% 3.3%Jun 2026 -0.6% 45.6%
Slovakia 0.864EUR +0.3% 3.0%Jul 2026 2.25%18 Aug -0.8% +0.8% +1.7% +2.5% 5.8%Jun 2026 -1.5% 64.3%
Hungary 314.70HUF -7.7% 2.1%Jun 2026 5.75%18 Aug +3.7% +0.5% +2.6% +2.8% 4.5%Jun 2026 +1.1% 73.4%
FX Δ1Y: change vs USD over ~12 months, + = currency weakened. CPI marked e = IMF WEO annual-average forecast, shown where monthly national data lags more than 4 months. Real rate = policy rate − CPI YoY. GDP 2026f/2027f: IMF World Economic Outlook forecast. C/A = current account balance. Turkmenistan: manat officially pegged at 3.50/USD since 2015; use official data with caution.

Productive sectors · Sapir view agriculture + industry incl. construction, valued at PPP

CountryAgri %Industry %of which Mfg %Productive shareGDP PPP $bnProductive GDP PPP $bn
Germany ref 2025 0.9 25.2 17.6 26.0% 6,296 1,639
France ref 2025 1.4 16.8 9.5 18.2% 4,396 799
United Kingdom ref 2025 0.6 16.5 7.7 17.1% 4,489 769
Poland 2025 2.5 25.8 15.0 28.3% 1,977 559
Czechia 2025 1.9 28.7 19.4 30.7% 659 202
Hungary 2025 2.7 23.0 15.1 25.6% 474 122
Slovakia 2025 1.6 28.1 16.2 29.7% 267 79
Method: following Jacques Sapir's argument that services-heavy nominal GDP understates the weight of economies with large goods-producing sectors, this table values the productive base (agriculture + industry incl. construction, share of GDP) at purchasing power parity. Germany, France and the UK shown for reference. Source: World Bank WDI, latest available year per country. Sector shares are value-added shares of GDP.

Beneath the surface structural signals

CountryFood % of spendPrice level idxRemittances %GDPCredit %GDPTrade %GDPPop. growth
Poland 18.8%2023 52 0.9% 34% 97% -0.34%
Czechia 15.8%2022 59 1.3% 48% 128% -0.17%
Slovakia 19.4%2024 58 2.1% 60% 170% -0.15%
Hungary 16.7%2022 52 2.3% 32% 141% -0.50%
Food % of spend: household spending on food and non-alcoholic beverages as share of consumption — the classic Engel signal, poorer economies spend more (Germany: ~12%). Sources: Eurostat national accounts (EU members), World Bank ICP 2021 benchmark (others). Price level index = nominal GDP ÷ PPP GDP × 100 (US = ~100). Low values signal an undervalued price level — the gap Sapir's PPP argument exploits. Remittance shares above 10% signal external dependence on labor migration. Source: World Bank WDI, latest year.

Quick answers live values, auto-updated

What is Poland's key interest rate?

3.75% — official policy rate, as of 18 Aug. Source: Narodowy Bank Polski.

How high is inflation in Poland?

3.0% year-over-year, Jun 2026.

How much of their spending do people in Poland put toward food?

18.8% of household consumption goes to food and non-alcoholic beverages (2023, Eurostat (national accounts)). Germany for comparison: about 12%.

What is Czechia's key interest rate?

3.75% — official policy rate, as of 18 Aug. Source: Czech National Bank.

How high is inflation in Czechia?

1.1% year-over-year, Jun 2026.

How much of their spending do people in Czechia put toward food?

15.8% of household consumption goes to food and non-alcoholic beverages (2022, Eurostat (national accounts)). Germany for comparison: about 12%.

What is Slovakia's key interest rate?

2.25% — official policy rate, as of 18 Aug. Source: European Central Bank.

How high is inflation in Slovakia?

3.0% year-over-year, Jul 2026.

How much of their spending do people in Slovakia put toward food?

19.4% of household consumption goes to food and non-alcoholic beverages (2024, Eurostat (national accounts)). Germany for comparison: about 12%.

What is Hungary's key interest rate?

5.75% — official policy rate, as of 18 Aug. Source: Magyar Nemzeti Bank.

How high is inflation in Hungary?

2.1% year-over-year, Jun 2026.

How much of their spending do people in Hungary put toward food?

16.7% of household consumption goes to food and non-alcoholic beverages (2022, Eurostat (national accounts)). Germany for comparison: about 12%.

Sources & update cycle

Czech National Bank · European Central Bank · Eurostat · Eurostat (national accounts) · Eurostat HICP · ICE/NYMEX/CBOT via Yahoo Finance · IMF World Economic Outlook · Magyar Nemzeti Bank · Narodowy Bank Polski · World Bank WDI. Exchange rates, market and commodity data update hourly; policy rates daily; CPI, industrial production and unemployment monthly on release; GDP, sector and structural data with World Bank/IMF revisions. Values marked CHECK have not been confirmed by the source in over 60 days. Compiled by Eastern Economy — no investment advice.