13.8% rise in newly-registered firms

The figures were announced by the Business Registration Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment. The number of newly-registered enterprises increased in most sectors compared to last year. The real estate sector witnessed the strongest increase, at 68%, followed by finance and banking, insurance, healthcare and social welfare. Transportation was the only sector that witnessed a fall in new firms. More than 17,500 businesses returned to operation in the first seven months of the year.