Lithuanian companies' cumulative direct investment abroad totaled 2.8 billion euros in late September of 2017, according to preliminary reports. Investment in EU countries made 89.4% of Lithuania's total direct investments abroad and investment in the euro area was 73.5%.

Lithuania's minimum monthly wage rose by 20 euros to 400 euros on Jan. 1, 2018. The minimum had been last increased in July 2016, from 350 to 380 euros.

The Bank of Lithuania and Statistics Lithuania announce the III quarter 2017 data on exports and imports of services broken down by country and type of service. In III quarter 2017, exports of services amounted to EUR 2.2 billion, imports – EUR 1.3 billion, the surplus of the balance of services – EUR 899.2 million, or 8% of GDP. In III quarter 2017, against III quarter 2016, the surplus of the balance of services increased by EUR 285.9 million, or 46.6%, which was a result of exports of services growing faster than imports (22.5 and 10.2% respectively).

Statistics Lithuania informs that, based on provisional data, in November 2017, the turnover (VAT excluded) of retail trade enterprises amounted to EUR 874.8 million at current prices, and against October 2017, seasonally and calendar adjusted, increased by 1.2% at constant prices (unadjusted – decreased by 2.2%).

Sweden's furniture group Ikea is investing almost 47 million euros in a new furniture factory in Kazlu Ruda, a town in southern Lithuania, with the project expected to create at least 20 new jobs.

Wurth Group, a German company selling mounting and assembly materials, has requested for a sanction to control the Lithuanian lightning solutions company Gaudre.

Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways) has signed a three-year contract with Lifosa, one of Europe's biggest phosphate fertilizer exporters, the state railway company said on December 22nd.

Latvia's construction company BMGS, which built the Klaipeda liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal's jetty under a contract worth 34.75 million euros, will not receive another 2.3 million euros for certain additional work it did in 2014.

M.M.M. Projektai, a real estate development company controlled by Lithuanian businessman Nerijus Numavicius, intends to start developing a commercial and residential quarter in the Latvian capital Riga, planning to invest over 150 million euros.

Estonia's largest electricity producer Eesti Energia plans to launch natural gas supply operations in Lithuania.