In February 2010 the NSI business surveys do not register a significant change of the business conjuncture in the country. The total business climate indicator preserves its level from the previous month.
Producer Price Index on Domestic Market in January 2010 rose 1.2% compared to the previous month, while compared to the same month of 2009 the domestic prices increased by 1.8%. Total Producer Price Index in Industry in January 2010 increased by 1.8% compared to the previous month; compared to the same month of 2009 the prices increased by 3.0%.
In January 2010 the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents in abroad was 282.7 thousand, which was 16.5% less than the number of the trips in January 2009. In January 2010, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 304.8 thousand or 14.3% more than the number of trips in the same month of 2009.
In 2009, there were 3 533 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation with more than 10 bed places. The total number of the nights spent in 2009 in all accommodation establishments fell by 2923.0 thousand (16.0%) as compared to 2008, to 15 372.4 thousand.
According to preliminary data during the fourth quarter of 2009 in comparison with the correspondence period in 2008 is observed drop at goods carriages in transport as all. The goods carried decreased by 23.2% and the transport performance in tonnekilometres by 35.1%. But over the previous quarter of 2009 a decrease is registered only for the goods carried - by 15.9%, while the transport performance increased by 6.9%. During the fourth quarter of 2009 transported passengers are with 8.6% more than the passengers in the third quarter of the same year, but with 5.3% less then transported passengers during the corresponding period in previous year. Performance in passengerkilometres decreased over last three months, as well in comparison with corresponding fourth quarter of 2008, respectively by 7.6 and 19.2%.
In the fourth quarter of 2009, the municipal authorities have issued building permits for construction of 1 343 residential buildings with 3 921 dwellings, of 63 administrative buildings/offices and 1 142 other buildings.
In the fourth quarter of 2009 the employment rate of population aged 15 – 64 was 61.2%, lower by 3.1 percentage points compared to the respective quarter of 2008. For the same period the unemployment rate rose by 2.9 percentage points to 7.9%.
According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) the number of employees under labour contract at the end of December 2009 decreased by 3.6% as compared to the end of September 2009 and reached to 2.25 millions. In fourth quarter of 2009 in comparison with the third quarter of 2009 the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 3.9% getting 606 levs.
According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute, the construction production in December 2009 was 13.6% below the level of the previous month. A decrease of 17.9% was registered in the production of building construction but in the civil engineering production it was 6.5%.
The preliminary data showed that the Industrial Production Index decreased by 12.1% in December 2009 as compared to December 2008, as compared to the previous month the production decreased by 0.7%. Industrial Turnover Index decreased by 9.8% compared to December 2008, as compared to the previous month the turnover increased by 5.8%.