Press releases

In August 2025, the total business climate indicator remains approximately to its level from the previous month. An increase of the indicator is observed in the industry and in service sector, while in the construction and in retail trade a reduction is registered.

The main factors, limiting the activity in the sectors, continue to be connected with the uncertain economic environment, shortage of labour, costs of materials and the competition in the branch.

The Total Producer Price Index in Industry rose by 3.4% in July 2025 compared to the previous month. An increase of 12.9% was registered in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 5.2%, and in the manufacturing industry - by 0.1%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market increased by 5.7% in July 2025 compared to June 2025. The domestic prices went up in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 14.0%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 2.0%, and in the manufacturing industry - by 0.6%.

The Total Producer Price Index went up by 8.6% in July 2025 compared to the same month in 2024. A rise was observed in the mining and quarrying industry - by 24.5%, in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 21.0%, as well as in the manufacturing industry - by 7.8%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market increased by 10.7% compared to July 2024. The prices rose in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 29.3%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 12.6%, and in the manufacturing industry - by 8.4%.

In June 2025, compared to May 2025, an increase was reported in the production of: motor gasoline - by 35.4%, transport diesel - by 34.8%, solid fuels - by 31.7%, and electricity - by 17.0%. In the production of energy products no decrease was observed for any of the products. There was no change in the production of liquefied petroleum gases and natural gas.

Compared to June 2024, an increase was reported in the production of: solid fuels - by 58.6%, and electricity - by 22.8%. A decrease was reported in the production of: liquefied petroleum gases - by 25.0%, transport diesel - by 10.7%, and motor gasoline - by 6.3%. There was no change in the production of natural gas.

In June 2025, compared to May 2025, for the deliveries of energy products, an increase was observed only in solid fuels - by 37.3%. A decrease was reported in the deliveries of: motor gasoline - by 69.3%, natural gas - by 17.8%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 7.5%, transport diesel - by 7.4%, and electricity - by 0.2%.

Compared to June 2024, an increase was reported in the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 61.6%, and transport diesel - by 16.7%. A decrease was reported in the deliveries of:   motor gasoline - by 60.3%, natural gas - by 19.1%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 5.1%, and electricity - by 3.6%.

The foreign direct investments (FDI) in the non-financial sector as of 31.12.2024 amounted to 33 861 million euro at current prices.

The largest volume of foreign direct investment is in the industrial sector – 14 432 million euro, followed by the services sector (Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; Transport, communication and services; Accommodation and food service activities) – 7 785 million euro.

At the same time, a significant change in the structure of FDI compared to the previous year is observed in the relative share of the industrial sector, which increases by 1.4 percentage points, while the services sector and the sector of Professional, scientific, technical; Administration and support service activities register a decrease of 1.2 and 0.7 percentage points, respectively.

In 2024, expenditure on acquisition of tangible fixed assets in all sectors of the economy amounted to 37 189 million BGN at current prices.

The largest volume of investments in tangible fixed assets was made in the Industry sector – 9 828 million BGN, followed by Service sector (Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; Transport, communication and services; Accommodation and food service activities) with 7 969 million BGN.

In the structure of expenditure on fixed assets by economic activities, the largest increase is observed in the sectors. Information and communication and Construction, with their relative shares increasing by 5.0 and 1.3 percentage points respectively compared to 2023.

In the reporting year 2024, a change was also registered in the structure of expenditure on the acquisition of fixed assets by type. The relative share of investments made in machinery, production equipment, and apparatus increased by 3.4 percentage points compared to the previous year, reaching 31.5%. At the same time, a decrease of 1.7 percentage points was observed in the purchase of buildings, construction facilities, and structures, down to 35.2% of the expenditure on fixed assets.

At the National Statistical Institute (NSI), according to preliminary data, annual reports on their activities for 2024 were submitted by 47 licensed insurers, 10 pension companies and 31 supplementary pension funds managed by them, as well as 20 funds for making payments, 259 investment companies and 10 631 associations and foundations.

Insurance companies

At NSI annual reports on their activities for 2024 were submitted by 47 licensed insurers with balance value of assets as of 31.12.2024 from 9 630 million BGN and realised turnover^[1] from 4 336 million BGN.

In 2024, the insurance companies reported a positive financial result of their activity amounting to 303 million BGN. In the life insurance sector, profit of 73 million BGN was realised while in the non-life insurance sector, the profit reached 230 million BGN. The total comprehensive income for the period of all insurers amounted to 333 million BGN.

Pension Companies and Pension Funds

In 2024, 10 pension companies had been active, with balance value of assets at the end of the year for 710 million BGN and they realized profit amounted to 120 million BGN.

For the reference year 2024, 31 supplementary pension funds have submitted annual reports for their activity at the NSI, of which 20 were for mandatory pension insurance, as well as 20 funds for making payments. The balance value assets of supplementary pension insurance fund as of 31.12.2024 was 26 656 million BGN and the investments reached 25 279 million BGN. The balance value assets of pension payment funds as of 31.12.2024 was 227 million BGN and the investments reached 164 million BGN.

Investment Companies

For the reference 2024, at NSI were submitted 259 annual reports by the investment companies, with total balance value of their assets the end of the year for 17 284 million BGN. The received foreign assets (securities and cash to customers) amounted to 11 330 million BGN.

The financial revenues in the investment companies for 2024 at current prices amounted to 1 956 million BGN in total and the financial result for the year was a profit of 321 million BGN.

Associations and Foundations

According to preliminary data, the number of associations and foundations, which submitted annual reports for 2024 at NSI, was 10 631. The balance value of their assets as of 31.12.2024 amounted to 1 866 million BGN.

The members of associations and foundations as of 31.12.2024 were 2 081 559, of which 278 842 were legal entities and 1 802 717 were individuals. The working volunteers were 43 713, as they worked a total of 868 191 hours.

Annual reports on their activity for 2024 were submitted at the National Statistical Institute (NSI) by 470 985 non-financial enterprises, which was 1.8% more compared to 2023. The number of persons employed in full-time equivalent in the non-financial enterprises was 2 234 035 or 0.6% more than the previous year. The non-financial enterprises generated 310 262 million BGN of the value of output at current prices and reported a positive financial result of 38 843 million BGN (the data are preliminary).

At the NSI 47 295 enterprises in the sector ‘Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing’ submitted annual reports on their activity for 2024 or 10.0% of the total number of the reported non-financial enterprises. These enterprises employed 105 688 persons who generated a value of output of 11 720 million BGN at current prices. A positive financial result of 1 226 million BGN was reported.

Annual reports on their activities were submitted to NSI by 37 072 industrial enterprises, or 7.9% of the total number of the reported non-financial enterprises at NSI. The value of output at current prices, manufactured by the industrial sector amounted to 114 677 million BGN, which formed 36.9% of the total production value of the non-financial enterprises. This sector employed 550 829 persons, or 24.6% of the total number of persons employed in the non-financial enterprises. The industrial enterprises finished 2024 with a positive financial result of 8 755 million BGN at current prices.

At NSI 26 702 construction enterprises submitted annual reports on their activity, or 5.7% of the total number of reported non-financial enterprises. The construction enterprises employed 155 828 persons, or 7.0% of the total number of persons employed in the non-financial enterprises. The construction sector generated a value of output of 33 174 million BGN at current prices, or 10.7% of the total production value. The construction sector finished 2024 with a positive financial result of 3 408 million BGN at current prices.

Annual reports on their activity for 2024 were submitted at NSI by 138 545 trade enterprises, or 29.4% of the total number of reported non-financial enterprises. This sector engaged 499 558 persons, or 22.4% of the total number of persons employed in the non-financial enterprises. The trade sector generated a value of output of 44 329 million BGN at current prices, or 14.3% of the total production value of non-financial enterprises. The trade enterprises realized a positive financial result of 9 515 million BGN at current prices.

At NSI 221 371 enterprises in the service sector submitted annual reports on their activity, or 47.0% of the total number of reported non-financial enterprises. This sector employed 922 132 persons, or 41.3% of the total number of persons employed in non-financial enterprises. At current prices, in the service sector was generated value of output of 106 362 million BGN, that formed 34.3% of the total production value of non-financial enterprises. The service sector finished 2024 with a positive financial result of 15 939 million BGN.

In 2023, the total number of active employer enterprises is 186 770 with 1 999 425 employees. The largest share of employees is reported in Sector C 'Manufacturing' - 24.2%, while the smallest share is in Sector P 'Education' - 0.6%.

The employer enterprises newly born in 2023 are 15 836 with 43 176 employees, as the highest share of employment is recorded in Sector G 'Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles' – 26.0%, and the lowest in Sector B 'Mining and quarrying' - 0.1%.

The preliminary data for 2023 show that the employer enterprise deaths are 7 415 with 19 200 employees.

According to the final data for 2021, the number of employer enterprise deaths is 16 140, with the highest share in Sector G 'Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles' – 34.9%.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Business Demography'.

At the end of the second quarter of 2025, the number of employees under labour contract (according to the requirements of the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 on short-term business statistics on employment) in the non-financial enterprises was 1.6 million, or 1.1% higher than at the end of the second quarter of 2024.

In Industry (incl. Mining and quarrying; Manufacturing; Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply; Water collection, treatment and supply) the number of employees was 502.3 thousand, decreasing by 2.1% compared to the second quarter of 2024.

The number of employees in the Services of the business economy (except trade and financial and insurance activities) was 588.4 thousand, increasing by 2.7% compared to the same period of the previous year.

The National Statistical Institute (NSI) publishes data about the number of employees under labour contract in the non-financial enterprises in accordance with the requirements of the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 with additional disaggregations by economic activities.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Labour Market'.

In July 2025, the number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 1 006.3 thousand, or 16.8% above the registered in July 2024. An increase in the trips with all observed purposes was registered.

The number of visits of non-residents to Bulgaria was 2 004.7 thousand, or 5.6% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year. An increase in the trips with all observed purposes was registered. Transit passes through the country were 36.5% (730.8 thousand) of all visits of non-residents to Bulgaria.

In the second quarter of 2025, 1.3 million Bulgarian residents made tourist trips. The majority of them - 67.5%, travelled only in the country, 25.8% - only abroad, and 6.7% - both in the country and abroad. Compared to the same quarter of 2024, the total number of travelled persons aged 15 and over increased by 4.1%.