HELSINKI: The number of enterprise openings decreased by 8.4 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2014 from the respective quarter of the year before, according to Statistics Finland.
In the third quarter of 2014, the number of enterprise closures was up by 16.6 per cent compared to the corresponding quarter of the year before. Examined by industry, enterprise openings were most numerous in professional, scientific and technical activities and enterprise closures were most numerous in trade. Examined by region, the number of enterprise openings and closures was highest in Uusimaa.
There were 5,680 enterprise openings in the fourth quarter of 2014. Enterprise openings accounted for 1.7 per cent of the total stock of enterprises in the fourth quarter of 2014, the data show. Examined by industry, the enterprise openings in professional, scientific and technical activities numbered 962, or 16.9 per cent of all enterprise openings in the fourth quarter.
In trade, enterprise openings numbered 922 or 16.2 per cent, and in construction 635 or 11.2 per cent. The number of enterprise openings was 2,156 in the fourth quarter of 2014 in Uusimaa. The next highest number was in Varsinais-Suomi (541) and in Pirkanmaa (502).