Statistics Lithuania informs that, based on provisional data, in March 2017, the turnover (VAT excluded) of retail trade1enterprises amounted to EUR 822.2 mln at current prices; against February 2017, seasonally and calendar adjusted, it increased by 1% at constant prices (unadjusted – by 13.4%).

Lithuanian leisure carrier Small Planet Airlines (SPA) has announced financial results for the year 2016. The company maintained revenue growth with the annual revenue reaching 223,1 mln EUR – 22,6% more when compared to 2015. SPA’s profitability, on the other hand, was less satisfying: due to unexpected aircraft maintenance and flight delays leisure airlines ended up with a loss of 3,8 mln EUR, contrary to a profit of 19,2 mln EUR in 2015. SPAs EBITDA margin shrunk to 11,7% (26 mln EUR).

Eurocash1, a cash collection and security services group that is indirectly controlled by Vilniaus Prekyba's owners, is expanding its operations in Latvia through the acquisition of CBL Cash Logistics, a subsidiary of Citadele Bank, in a deal whose financial details are not being disclosed.

Lithuania and the other states of the Baltic Sea region should sign a memorandum of understanding in June on synchronization of the Baltic states with continental Europe via Poland. The document should give an impetus to the preparations for synchronized work of the networks.

The Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) and Lithuania’s company Klaipedos Nafta AB have signed a loan agreement totalling EUR 20.4 million with a 15-year tenor for the construction of a reloading station for liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the extension of an oil terminal in Klaipeda, Lithuania.

The Lithuanian gas market Get Baltic, which is launching operations in Latvia and Estonia in July, projects growth, however, not only due to larger market but also due to the gas price discount applied by Gazprom three years ago and due to expire in mid-2017.

Now is a good time for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to withdraw from the management of Lithuania's Siauliu Bankas.

Lithuania's power transmission system operator Litgrid has earmarked 18.156 mln euros for dividend or 3.6 cents per share after netting 16.828 mln euros in profit last year.

Swedbank, one of Lithuania's largest banks, said on Tuesday that its first-quarter net profit jumped by 33% to 29 mln euros, from 22 mln euros a year earlier.

Growing inequality in income and opportunities is an issue that is especially relevant to us as well. While we are reasonably excited at the economy’s recovery and growth, the gap between the richest households and those with the lowest income continues to be unjustifiably large; hence, people’s feelings about economic growth vary, and not everyone’s quality of life has been improving.