TIRANA, June 18 /ATA/ – Albania’s construction, electricity and water supply sectors posted growth in the first quarter of 2026, while the industrial sector recorded declines in output, sales and employment, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics, INSTAT, on Thursday.
Industry contracted during the January-March period, with net sales volume falling 3.1% year-on-year, production declining 4.9% and employment down 2.9%. Despite the slowdown, the sector’s wages increased by 7.5%.
The electricity, gas and steam supply sector recorded strong growth across all key indicators. Net sales volume rose 17.6%, while production surged 45% compared with the same period a year earlier.
Employment in the sector increased by 2.1%, while the wage bill rose 13.1%.
The water supply, sewerage and waste management sector also expanded, with net sales volume increasing 15.1% and production rising 5.6%. Employment edged up 0.3%, while the wage bill climbed 18.5%.
Construction maintained its upward momentum in the first quarter, with net sales volume rising 8.6%, production increasing 7.2% and employment growing 5.6%.
The sector’s wage bill rose 22.4% from a year earlier, according to INSTAT.
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