Ifo Business Climate Index

A regular monthly poll by the National Statistical Institute has found that managers saw the business climate in Bulgaria in April largely unchanged compared with March.

The monthly polls earlier this year had seen slight improvements in the business climate in Bulgaria, after the indicator plunged in the first half of 2020 against the background of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In March, the country's overall economic situation has been improving for the third consecutive month since the beginning of 2021, making up for the deterioration at the end of the previous year, according to the latest survey of the National Statistical Institute (NSI).

In January 2020, the total business climate indicator increases by 1.4 percentage points in comparison with December 2019, which is due to the improved business conjuncture in industry.

Industry

In July 2019, the overall business climate indicator remained at roughly the same level as the previous month. A decline in business conditions was observed in industry and construction while in retail trade the June level remained unchanged. The indicator is rising only in the service sector.

Industry. 

In March 2019, the overall business climate indicator remained roughly the same as in February, as a business environment improvement was recorded only in retail. This shows the regular business surveys of the National Statistical Institute.

Regular Business Surveys of the National Statistical Institute reported improvements in the business environment in the country in November, excluding construction. The overall business climate indicator increased by 0.6 percentage points compared to October, driven by improved business conditions in industry and retail. The indicator for the Services sector is unchanged.

In September, the overall business climate indicator declined by 1.5 points compared to August. This is due to the unfavorable economic conjuncture in the construction and service sector, according to the regular Business Surveys of the National Statistical Institute. The main factors hampering business continue to be linked to the precarious economic environment and labor shortages.

Sofia. In August 2018, the business conjuncture in the country was assessed as unfavourable, the National Statistical Institute (NSI) said. The total business climate indicator decreased by 2.9 percentage points month-on-month, with a decrease in all observed sectors - industry, construction, retail trade and services.

The business climate improves by 2.1 points in May compared to the previous month, according to NSI data.

Highest growth is recorded in construction. Only in retail trade is reported a decline. An increase in prices is not expected in any sector over the next three months, only in the services sector, there are expectations for a slight appreciation of the services.

Bulgaria's business climate indicator has increased in January by 0.6 percentage points compared to the previous month due to more optimistic expectations among entrepreneurs in construction and services.