Statistics Lithuania informs that, based on the data from the Building Permits and State Construction Supervision Information System the Republic of Lithuania (IS) Infostatyba, in IV quarter 2015, against IV quarter 2014, the number of building permits issued increased by 34.5%, of which for the construction of residential buildings – by 45.2%.

Apartment prices in Vilnius and Riga notched up in January 2016 amid a substantial increase in apartment sale transactions, while prices in Tallinn edged down and the rise in apartment sale transactions was much less pronounced, real estate services company Ober-Haus said on Monday.

Statistics Lithuania informs that, according to the Labour Force Survey data, in 2015, the unemployment rate stood at 9.1%, which is by 1.6 percentage points less than in 2014. In 2015, the male unemployment rate stood at 10.1, the female one – at 8.2%. Over the year, the male unemployment rate decreased by 2.1 percentage points, the female one – by 1 percentage point.

Poland's national airline LOT is set to launch in late March 2016 flights between the Lithuanian seaside resort of Palanga and Warsaw, the company's spokesman said on February 11th.

The world's largest airport operators, including Fraport, MAG, Vinci, Avialliance, Egis Group, Ferrovial and others, are already showing interest in Lithuania's three international airports, though the airports' concession issue is still being discussed at the country's parliament, the 15min news website reported.

Some of the cash registers installed by Lithuania's largest supermarket chain Maxima support contactless payments already but the technology will not be put into use thus far.

Lithuania's seed market in 2015 grew by 2.6% to reach 73.6 million euros, the business daily Verslo Zinios reported on Wednesday.

NordBalt, a power interconnection between Lithuania and Sweden, which was completed last November and currently operates in a trial mode, is being tested at the maximum capacity of 700 megawatts (MW) on Monday, Litgrid has said.

New alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) registrations in Lithuania almost doubled in 2015, but their number remained among the lowest in the European Union, figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) showed on Monday.