The Estonian economy is performing more poorly than usual, but not all sectors are suffering equally. The heaviest blows have fallen in manufacturing, which has had to cope with supply problems, recession in the main export markets, an appreciating exchange rate, and rising production costs. A drop in orders has caused the manufacturing sector to reduce its headcount, while employment in services has continued to grow. Employment has also been falling since the start of this year in construction, though it has continued to grow in the public sector, primarily in healthcare and education. The Estonian labour market as a whole, like those in many other countries, has so far reacted very little to the downturn in the economy.
