In August 2018, the business conjuncture in the country is assessed as unfavourable. The total business climate indicator decreases by 2.9 percentage points compared to its July level as a reduced of the indicator is registered in all observed sectors - industry, construction, retail trade and services.
In July 2018, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 727.5 thousand or by 9.3% above the registered in July 2017. The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visit the cultural and sport events) in July 2018 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 40.5%, followed by the trips with holiday and recreation purpose - 39.9%, and with professional purpose - 19.6%.
In July 2018, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 2 152.8 thousand or by 6.5% more in comparison with July 2017. In July 2018, the predominant share of the visits with holiday and recreation purpose was 57.2%, followed by trips with other purposes - 35.4%, and with professional purpose - 7.4%.
The producer price index in agriculture in the second quarter of 2018 decreased by 5.8% in comparison with the same quarter of 2017. The crop output index decreased by 8.5%, as well as the animal output index - by 2.3%. In comparison with previous year the prices of agricultural output went down by 2.9% due to the decrease in crop output price index - by 1.9% and in animal output price index - by 4.2%.
The index of prices of goods and services currently consumed in agriculture in the second quarter of 2018 was by 1.9% higher compared to the same quarter of previous year and by 2.3% compared to 2017.
According to preliminary data during the second 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 second 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 3.7% and 8.7%.
According to the preliminary data for the second quarter of 2018 the total turnover index in section ‘Transportation, storage and post’, calculated on the basis of seasonally adjusted data increased by 2.8% compared to the first quarter of 2018. In section ‘Information and communication’ the turnover index grew by 2.9%.
In the second quarter of 2018, 1 084.9 thousand Bulgarian residents made tourist trips. The majority (77.7%) of them travelled only within the country, 17.5% - only abroad and 4.8% - both in the country and abroad. Compared to the same quarter of 2017 the total number of the travelled persons aged 15 and over decreased by 5.6%, as a reduction was observed in the number of the Bulgarian residents travelled in the country - by 12.4%, while in the number of the Bulgarian residents travelled both in the country and abroad and the number of persons travelled only abroad increased respectively by 58.3% and 22.4% of them.
The total income average per household member during the second quarter of 2018 is 1 474 BGN and increases by 8.7% compared to the same quarter of 2017.
The total expenditure average per household member during the second quarter of 2018 is 1 331 BGN and increases by 11.4% in comparison to the same quarter of 2017.
The consumption of main food products average per household member during the second quarter of 2018 compared to the same quarter of 2017 does change.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2018 increased by 0.4% in the EU-28 compared to the previous quarter by seasonally adjusted data. For the same period, GDP in Bulgaria increased by 0.8%.
According to the seasonally adjusted data, the GDP growth rate in the second quarter of 2018 is 3.4% compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
In the second quarter of 2018 the unemployment rate was 5.5% and the employment rate of population aged 20 - 64 was 72.6%.