Statistical data

According to the preliminary seasonally adjusted data in May 2017 the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices increased by 1.3% compared to the previous month.

According to the preliminary data the Industrial Production Index, seasonally adjusted, increased by 2.7% in May 2017 as compared to April 2017. In May 2017 the working day adjusted Industrial Production Index rose by 9.6% in comparison with the same month of 2016.

In 2016, the government budget allocations for R&D amounted to 187.5 million BGN and decreased by 11.8% compared to 2015.

Total Producer Price Index in May 2017 decreased by 1.2% compared to the previous month; compared to the same month of 2016 the prices rose by 3.9%. Producer Price Index on Domestic Market in May 2017 fell by 0.5% compared to the previous month; compared to the same month of 2016 the domestic prices grew by 3.5%. 

In April 2017 compared to March 2017 an increase is reported for the production of liquefied petroleum gases - by 22.2%, unleaded motor gasoline - by 26.6% and transport diesel - by 39.7%. At the same time a decrease is reported for the production of solid fuels by 1.3%, natural gas - by 10.0% and electricity - by 13.4%.

In April 2017 compared to March 2017 an increase is reported for the deliveries of liquefied petroleum gases - by 18.4%, unleaded motor gasoline - by 2.5%, and transport diesel - by 17.8%. At the same time a decrease is reported for the deliveries of solid fuels - by 2.0%, natural gas - by 17.1% and electricity - by 10.3%. 

In June 2017, the total business climate indicator decreases by 0.7 percentage points compared to the previous month as a result of the unfavourable managers’ opinions in industry and services.

In May 2017, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 653.3 thousand or by 15.7% above the registered in May 2016. The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visit the cultural and sport events) in May 2017 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 38.2%, followed by the trips with holiday and recreation purpose - 36.0%, and with professional purpose - 25.8%.

In May 2017, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 866.3 thousand or by 7.2% more in comparison with May 2016. An increase was registered in the trips by all observed purposes: with professional purpose - by 22.4%, with holiday and recreation purpose - by 5.3%, and with other purposes - by 3.9%.

According to the data from the NSI ‘Social Inclusion and Living Conditions’ (EU-SILC) survey in 2016 the average monthly poverty line for the country is 308.17 BGN per person. The number of persons who are below this line is 1 638.7 thousand representing 22.9% of the population in Bulgaria. In 2016 the share of children aged 0 - 17 years in at-risk-of-poverty is 31.9%, or 385.4 thousand.

Preliminary data of the NSI for the first quarter of 2017 indicate that the total hourly labour cost rose by 10.1% compared to the first quarter of 2016.