According to the preliminary data, GDP per person employed increased by 2.3% in the first quarter of 2018 compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
According to the seasonally adjusted data, the GDP growth rate in the first quarter of 2018 is 3.6% compared with the same quarter of 2017 according to the preliminary estimates.
In March 2018 compared to February 2018 an increase is reported for the production of solid fuels - by 6.5% and electricity - by 4.9%. Significant drop is observed in the production of petroleum products, which is due to planned repair of production capacities done in March 2018, as a decrease is reported for the production of unleaded motor gasoline - by 99.2% and transport diesel - by 87.0%. No production of liquefied petroleum gases.
In March 2018 compared to February 2018 an increase is reported for the deliveries of solid fuels - by 4.2%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 22.9%, unleaded motor gasoline - by 16.7%, and transport diesel - by 22.4%. At the same time a decrease is reported for the deliveries of natural gas - by 5.9% and electricity - by 0.9%.
Total Producer Price Index in April 2018 increases with 0.7% compared to the previous month; compared to the same month of 2017 the prices rose by 2.9%. Producer Price Index on Domestic Market in April 2018 increased by 0.4% compared to the previous month; compared to the same month of 2017 the domestic prices grew by 3.8%.
In May 2018, the business conjuncture in the country continues to improve. The total business climate indicator increases by 2.1 percentage points compared to April and reaches new long-term maximum (33.1%) since 2009.
The producer price index in agriculture in the first quarter of 2018 decreased by 7.4% in comparison with the same quarter of 2017. The crop output index decreased by 11.2%, as well the animal output index - by 1.2%. In comparison with previous year the prices of agricultural output went down by 1.5% due to the decrease in crop output price index - by 3.1% and increase in animal output price index - by 1.2%.
The index of prices of goods and services currently consumed in agriculture in the first quarter of 2018 was by 0.6% higher compared to the same quarter of previous year and by 0.8% compared to 2017.
In April 2018, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 606.4 thousand or by 10.5% above the registered in April 2017. The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visit the cultural and sport events) in April 2018 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 41.9%, followed by the trips with professional purpose - 30.1%, and with holiday and recreation purpose - 28.0%.
In April 2018, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 701.9 thousand or by 10.8% more in comparison with April 2017. In April 2018, the predominant share of the visits with other purposes was 40.1%, followed by trips with holiday and recreation purpose - 39.4%, and with professional purpose - 20.5%.
According to preliminary data during the first quarter of 2018 in comparison with the same period of 2017 there was a decrease both in the goods carried and in the transport performance by the freight land and water transport.
In the first quarter of 2018 the transported passengers and the transport performance by passenger transport (land, water and urban electrical transport) decreased compared to the same period of the previous year, respectively by 2.6% and 5.4%.
According to the preliminary data for the first quarter of 2018 the total turnover index in section ‘Transportation, storage and post’, calculated on the basis of seasonally adjusted data increased by 3.5% compared to the fourth quarter of 2017. In section ‘Information and communication’ the turnover index grew by 4.6%.
In the first quarter of 2018, 1 002.0 thousand Bulgarian residents made tourist trips. The majority (84.2%) of them travelled only within the country, 13.2% - only abroad and 2.6% - both in the country and abroad. Compared to the same quarter of 2017 the total number of the travelled persons aged 15 and over increased by 8.2%.