Statistical data

In the period January - August 2011 the Bulgarian exports to the EU increased by 34.8% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year and amounted to 15.9 billion levs while the imports increased by 19.0% and amounted to 16.2 billion levs.
In August 2011 the exports to the EU increased by 15.7% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and exceeded 2.0 billion levs while the imports increased by 11.0% and exceeded 1.9 billion levs .

According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) at the end of September 2011 the number of employees under labour contract decreased by 0.5% as compared to the end of June 2011 and reached to 2.19 millions. In third quarter of 2011 in comparison with the second quarter of 2011 the average monthly wages and salaries decreased by 0.9% getting 693 levs.

According to the preliminary data of the NSI, in September 2011 the index of production in section ‘Construction’, calculated on the base of seasonally adjusted data was 0.7% below the level of the previous month.

The preliminary data showed that the Industrial Production Index seasonally adjusted increased by 1.0% in September 2011 as compared to August 2011. The working day adjusted Industrial Production Index rose by 1.5% as compared to the same month of 2010.

In October 2011 the total consumer confidence indicator decreases by 3.0 percentage points compared to its level 3 months ago. The reduction is due to the decreased confidence of both urban and rural inhabitants by 3.5 and 1.7 percentage points, respectively.

‘Access to finance’ survey for small and medium-sized enterprises was held in 2010 from all EU member states, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 97/2009, jointly by the European Commission, European Central Bank and National Statistical Institutes.

In the third quarter of 2011, the municipal authorities have issued building permits for construction of 1 335 residential buildings with 2 538 dwellings, of 61 administrative buildings/offices and 1 433 other buildings. The construction of 721 residential buildings with 1 689 dwellings, of 31 administrative buildings/offices and 565 other buildings has been started.

In October 2011 the total business climate indicator marks a decrease of 0.7 percentage points in comparison with level from the previous month because of the more moderate managers’ assessments of the present business situation of the enterprises in industry and service sector.