The Finance Ministry has assessed the nation’s exports and consumption are maintaining solid growth pace but investment and employment remain sluggish.

The ministry on Friday said in its monthly economic assessment report that the economy is on a firm growth path backed by strong exports and private spending.

However, it added facility investment and employment remain slow and external economic uncertainties are increasing, such as the intensifying trade dispute between the U.S. and China and rising crude oil prices.

The nation’s exports decreased by eight-point-two percent last month from a year ago due to fewer working days, but average daily exports hit a record high of two-point-69 billion dollars.

However, facility investment shrank one-point-four percent on-month in September and monthly job growth remained weak at 45-thousand compared to a year ago.