Statistical data

According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) at the end of December 2010 the number of employees under labour contract decreased by 2.3% as compared to the end of September 2010 and reached to 2.15 millions. In fourth quarter of 2010 in comparison with the third quarter of 2010 the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 4.9% getting 669 levs.

According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute, in the fourth quarter of 2010 the newly built residential buildings were 671 and compared to the respectively quarter of 2009 decreased by 27.0%. The newly built dwellings in them decreased by 29.6% and their number was 4 125.

In 2010 the Bulgarian exports to third countries increased by 48. 5% compared to the previous year and amounted to 11.9 billion levs while the imports increased by 17.1% and reached to 15.5 billion levs.
In 2010 the total value of the exported goods was 30.4 billion levs and compared to 2009 the exports increased by 33% while the total value of the imported goods was 37.4 billion levs and increased by 13.3%.

In the period January - November 2010 the Bulgarian exports to the EU increased by 23.8% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year and amounted to 17 billion levs while the imports increased by 9.9% and amounted to 19.9 billion levs.
In November 2010 the exports to the EU increased by 27% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and reached to 1.7 billion levs while the imports increased by 36.9% and amounted to 2.3 billion levs.

According to the preliminary data of the NSI, the production in section ‘Construction’, calculated on the base of seasonally adjusted data, registered a drop by 13.0% in December 2010, compared to the previous month.

The preliminary data showed that the Industrial Production Index, seasonally adjusted decreased by 1.0% in December 2010 as compared to November 2010. The working day adjusted Industrial Production Index rose by 5.2% as compared to the same month of 2009.

In January 2011 the total consumer confidence indicator increases by 1.5 percentage points in comparison with October 2010, and it is only 3.3 percentage points below its average value for the last 10 years. This improvement over the last 3 months is due to the increase of confidence among the rural inhabitants. The value of the indicator for the urban inhabitants remains unchanged.

In January 2011 the total business climate indicator increases by 1.9 percentage points in comparison with December 2010 and it is already 6.6 percentage points above its lowest value registered over the last 2 years. The long-term average value on this indicator has still not been reached (by 11 percentage points).

Producer Price Index on Domestic Market in December 2010 rose by 1.7% comparing to the previous month, while compared to the same month of 2009 the domestic prices grew by 12.0%. Total Producer Price Index in Industry increased by 2.0% compared to the previous month, compared to the same month of 2009 the prices rose by 12.2%.

In December 2010, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 254.2 thousand, or 14.7% less than the number of the trips in December 2009. In December 2010, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 374.3 thousand or 4.8% more than the number of trips in the corresponding month of 2009.