According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) at the end of March 2012 the number of employees under labour contract decreased by 1.3% as compared to the end of December 2011 and reached to 2.10 millions. In first quarter of 2012 in comparison with the fourth quarter of 2011 the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 0.6% getting 731 levs.
In April 2012 the total consumer confidence indicator retains its January level.
According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute in the first quarter of 2012 the number of newly built residential buildings was 601 and compared to the corresponding quarter of 2011, their number was unchanged.
In March 2012 1 687 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.
In the period January - March 2012 the Bulgarian exports to third countries decreased by 1.0% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year and amounted to 3.6 billion Levs while the imports increased by 9.9% and amounted to 4.5 billion Levs.
In the period January - March 2012 the total value of the exported goods (both for third countries and EU) reached 9.0 billion Levs. Compared to the corresponding period of 2011 the exports decreased by 3.3% while the total value of the imported goods was 11.2 billion Levs and increased by 8.9%.
In the period January - February 2012 the Bulgarian exports to the EU decreased by 8.1% compared to the corresponding period of 2011 and exceeded 3.3 billion Levs while the imports increased by 6.7% and reached 4.1 billion Levs.
In February 2012 the exports to the EU decreased by 8.9% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and exceeded 1.6 billion Levs while the imports increased by 11.6% and reached 2.1 billion Levs.
According to the preliminary data of the NSI, in March 2012 the index of production in section ‘Construction’, calculated on the base of seasonally adjusted data was 1.8% above the level of the previous month.
The preliminary data showed that the Industrial Production Index seasonally adjusted increased by 1.0% in March 2012 as compared to February 2012. The working day adjusted Industrial Production Index fell by 3.2% as compared to the same month of 2011.
The number of detached crèches and groups in kindergartens functioning in the country at the end of 2011 is 753 with 29 612 places in them. The tendencies of increasing of the establishments’ number as well as the number of places and children in them continue in 2011. The number of children new entrants in 2011 is 29 380 or 2 354 children more than the children new entrants in 2010. At the end of the year 31 611 children are raised and brought up in crèches.
NSI presents preliminary results from the Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2012.