According to the seasonally adjusted data, the GDP growth rate in the fourth quarter of 2017 is 3.6% compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute at the end of December 2017 the number of employees under labour contract decreased by 1.5% as compared to the end of September 2017 and reached 2.28 million.
In the fourth quarter of 2017 in comparison with the third quarter of 2017 the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 5.6% getting 1 095BGN.
In December 2017, 1 946 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 57.5 thousand and the bed-places were 116.6 thousand. In comparison with December 2016, the total number of accommodation establishments (functioned during the period) increased by 0.4%, and the bed-places in them decreased - by 0.1%.
The total number of the nights spent in all accommodation establishments registered in December 2017 was 833.3 thousand, or by 3.1% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year.
The total revenues from nights spent in December 2017 reached 44.3 million BGN or by 6.6% more compared to December 2016.
In the period January - November 2017 the Bulgarian exports to the EU increased by 11.4% compared to the same period of 2016 and amounted to 31 979.9 Million BGN. The imports from the EU also grew by 11.4% and added up to 34 436.6 Million BGN.
In November 2017 the exports to the EU increased by 15.3% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 3 210.6 Million BGN while the imports grew by 15.4% and added up to 3 597.9 Million BGN.
In 2017 the Bulgarian exports to third countries increased by 10.7% compared to 2016 and amounted to 17 744.6 Million BGN while the imports grew by 24.1% and added up to 21 368.3 Million BGN.
In 2017 the total value of all exported goods (both for third countries and EU) amounted to 52 233.0 Million BGN and in comparison with the previous year the exports increased by 10.7% while the total value of all imported goods added up to 59 085.4 Million BGN and grew by 15.4%.
According to preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute in the fourth quarter of 2017 the number of newly built residential buildings was 659 and the newly built dwellings in them were 2 046. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2016 the buildings were by 34 more (or by 5.4%) while the newly built dwellings in them decreased by 354 or by 14.8%.
According to the preliminary data, in December 2017 the index of production in section ‘Construction’ calculated on the base of seasonally adjusted data was 3.0% below the level of the previous month. In December 2017 the working day adjusted index of production in construction decreased by 4.1% in comparison with the same month of 2016.
According to the preliminary seasonally adjusted data in December 2017 the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices increased by 0.5% compared to the previous month.
According to the preliminary data the Industrial Production Index, seasonally adjusted, increased by 0.7% in December 2017 as compared to November 2017. In December 2017 the working day adjusted Industrial Production Index rose by 2.0% in comparison with the same month of 2016.
In January 2018, the total consumer confidence indicator increases by 1.1 percentage points in comparison with its October 2017 level, which is due entirely to the increased confidence among the urban population.