Statistical data

In March 2018, the total business climate indicator increases by 0.7 percentage points compared to February. An improvement of the business conjuncture is registered in construction and retail trade, while in industry preserves to its level from the previous month. Only in service sector, the indicator is reduced.

In February 2018, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 379.5 thousand or by 3.5% above the registered in February 2017. The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visit the cultural and sport events) in February 2018 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 49.7%, followed by the trips with professional purpose - 27.6%, and with holiday and recreation purpose - 22.7%.

In February 2018, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 457.4 thousand or by 4.9% more in comparison with February 2017. In February 2018, the predominant share of the visits with holiday and recreation purpose was 42.2%, followed by trips with other purposes - 37.7%, and with professional purpose - 20.1%.

In 2018 Bulgaria publishes for the first time data on pension entitlements in social insurance for 2015. The accrued-to-date liabilities at the beginning of 2015 (closing balance of 2014) are 144 145 mln. BGN and the accrued-to-date liabilities at the end of 2015 are 149 879 mln. BGN or 169% of GDP.

Preliminary data of the NSI for the fourth quarter of 2017 indicate that the total hourly labour cost rose by 12.2% compared to the fourth quarter of 2016.

In 2017 the unemployment rate was 6.2%, 6.4% for men and 5.9% for women.

The employment rate for the age group 20 - 64 years achieved 71.3%, 75.3% for men and 67.3% for women.

The consumer price index in February 2018 compared to January 2018 was 100.3%, i.e. the monthly inflation was 0.3%.

In 2017 the Bulgarian exports to the EU grew by 10.8% compared to 2016 and amounted to 34 518.7 Million BGN while the imports from the EU increased by 11.2% and reached 37 794.7 Million BGN.

In December 2017 the exports to the EU grew by 2.7% in comparison with the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 2 507.8 Million BGN while the imports added up to 3 280.7 Million BGN and grew by 7.0%.

In January 2018 the Bulgarian exports to third countries decreased by 16.3% compared to the same month of 2017 and amounted to 1 098.0 Million BGN while the imports grew by 15.9% and added up to  1 829.2 Million BGN.

In January 2018 the total value of all exported goods (both for third countries and EU) amounted to      4 211.1 Million BGN and in comparison with the same month of the previous year the exports increased by 12.3% while the total value of all imported goods added up to 5 044.3 Million BGN and grew by 19.3%.

In January 2018, 1 894 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation with more than 10 bed-places were functioned in the country. The total number of the rooms in them was 56.2 thousand and the bed-places were 124.0 thousand. In comparison with January 2017, the total number of accommodation establishments (functioned during the period) increased by 5.4%, and the bed-places in them - by 3.7%.

The total number of the nights spent in all accommodation establishments registered in January 2018 was 910.0 thousand, or by 13.5% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year.

The total revenues from nights spent in January 2018 reached 50.0 million BGN or by 20.2% more compared to January 2017.

According to the preliminary data, in January 2018 the index of production in section ‘Construction’ calculated on the base of seasonally adjusted data was 5.1% above the level of the previous month. In January 2018 the working day adjusted index of production in construction increased by 24.2% in comparison with the same month of 2017.