The real growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter of this year was 3.8 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year, driven primarily by the services sector, excluding trade, the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (SORS) has announced.
Private consumption recorded growth of 4 per cent from January to June compared to the same period last year, positively contributing to GDP movement by 2.6 percentage points, SORS stated.
Investment activity increased by 3.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2025.
Total industrial production in Serbia from January to June was 0.7 per cent higher than in the same period in 2025.
In the first half of the year, an average year-on-year consumer price growth of 2.9 per cent was achieved, with the product groups having the highest impact on total consumer price growth being: electricity – 17 per cent, vehicle fuels and lubricants – 10.3 per cent, tobacco – 9.3 per cent, medicines – 7.9 per cent, water supply – 7.7 per cent, and restaurant services – 6.4 per cent.
In the second quarter, 2,840,100 people were employed, 220,200 were unemployed, and 2,516,800 persons aged 15 and over were outside the labour force, SORS stated.
The unemployment rate stands at 7.2 per cent, which is 1.7 percentage points lower compared to the first quarter of 2026, while the number of unemployed decreased by 56,100, alongside a simultaneous increase of 38,200 in the number of persons outside the labour force.
According to SORS, production growth was recorded only in manufacturing – 1.8 per cent, whereas mining recorded a production drop of 0.6 per cent, and electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply recorded a drop of 4.2 per cent. Manufacturing recorded growth in 12 out of 24 divisions, which account for 32.5 per cent of total industry compared to the same period in 2025.
Positive results in the first half of the year were achieved by the manufacture of rubber and plastic products at 3.6 per cent, the manufacture of motor vehicles and trailers at 47.1 per cent, and the manufacture of beverages at 1.8 per cent.
A drop was recorded in 12 divisions, which together account for 43.6 per cent of total industrial production – the manufacture of food products and the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products saw a drop of 1.8 per cent, while the manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment, dropped by 8 per cent.
Construction activity in the second quarter, compared to the same period of the previous year, increased by 20.6 per cent at current prices, while in constant prices the value increased by 9 per cent. In the second quarter, a total of 7,418 building permits were issued, of which 6,072 relate to building construction works and the remaining 1,346 to transport infrastructure, pipelines and complex industrial structures.
The total value of goods exports from January to June was 8.3 per cent higher than in the same period of 2025, driven mainly by a 9 per cent growth in manufacturing exports, which make up 88 per cent of total exports.
Mining achieved a cumulative growth of 34.7 per cent, SORS stated.
The total value of goods imports up to June was 3.7 per cent higher compared to the same period in 2025.
Agriculture’s share stands at 2.7 per cent of total exports and 3.3 per cent of total imports, while exports from January to June saw a drop of 14.2 per cent, as well as a decrease in their share of total exports from 3.5 per cent in the same period of 2025 to 2.7 per cent recorded in the January–June 2026 period, SORS stated.
(Pressek, 22.09.2026)
https://www.pressek.rs/srbija/rzs-bdp-srbije-u-drugom-kvartalu-porastao-za-38-odsto/