According to the preliminary data, GDP per person employed increased in real terms by 1.7% in 2024 compared to the previous year.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.4% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023 and there was an increase of 0.9% compared to the third quarter of 2024 at seasonally adjusted data.
GDP for 2024, obtained as a sum of quarterly data, increases in real terms by 2.8% compared to 2023.
In January 2025, the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices kept its level from the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.
A growth was reported in ‘Retail sales of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ - by 9.2% and in ‘Retail sales of non-food products (except fuel)’ - by 0.2%. A decrease was registered in ‘Retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco’ - by 2.7%.
The trade turnover rose by 8.1% compared to January 2024 according to the calendar-adjusted data.
In January 2025, compared to the same month of 2024, an increase of the turnover was registered in all of the big groups: ‘Retail sales of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ - by 15.5%, ‘Retail sales of non-food products (except fuel)’ - by 9.8%, and in ‘Retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco’ - by 3.9%.
In December 2024, the total production index in Services of the business economy increased by 2.1% compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.
Compared to December 2023, a rise of 6.0% was registered in the calendar-adjusted index according to preliminary data.
At the end of December 2024, the number of employees under labour contract and contract according to the Civil Servants Act reached 99.0 thousands. The employees in Central administration were 56.4 thousand (57.0%) and in Territorial administration - 42.6 thousand (43.0%).
Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Labour Market'.
For January 2025, the reported revenues of sub-sector ‘Central Government’ were in the amount of BGN 4 882.07 million and the expenditures were in the amount of BGN 4 915.93 million, and for the sub-sector ‘Social Security Funds’ the revenues amounted to BGN 2 845.61 million and the expenditures were BGN 2 695.11 million.
The data for the ‘Central Government’ sub-sector are formed on the basis of the monthly cash statements of the budget units, as well as on estimates of the state enterprises reclassified in the sub-sector, and the data for the ‘Social Security Funds’ sub-sector - on the basis of the monthly cash statements of the National Insurance Institute and the National Health Insurance Fund.
The information is published on the basis of Article 3 (2) of Directive 2011/85 of the EU.
Detailed data can be found on NSI’s website under the heading 'Government Finance Statistics'.
In December 2024, compared to November 2024, an increase was reported in the production of: motor gasoline - by 73.6%, electricity - by 27.0%, solid fuels - by 12.8%, and transport diesel - by 11.2%. A decrease was reported in the production of liquefied petroleum gases - by 16.7%. There was no change in the production of natural gas.
Compared to December 2023, an increase was reported in the production of: liquefied petroleum gases - by 66.7%, motor gasoline - by 10.2%, solid fuels - by 7.4%, electricity - by 1.3%, and transport diesel - by 0.7%. There was no change in the production of natural gas.
In December 2024, compared to November 2024, an increase was reported in the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 11.2%, electricity - by 9.3%, and natural gas - by 2.1%. A decrease was reported in the deliveries of: motor gasoline - by 34.9%, and transport diesel - by 13.2%. There was no change in the deliveries of liquefied petroleum gases.
Compared to December 2023, an increase was reported in the deliveries of: transport diesel - by 9.9%, motor gasoline - by 7.9%, electricity - by 4.6%, solid fuels - by 3.7%, and natural gas - by 1.4%. A decrease was observed in the deliveries of liquefied petroleum gases - by 20.5%.
In February 2025, the total business climate indicator increases by 2.3 percentage points compared to the previous month. An improvement of the indicator is observed in the industry, construction and retail trade, while in the service sector a reduction is registered.
The uncertain economic environment, shortage of labour, competition in the branch and insufficient demand remain the main obstacles for the activity of the enterprises in the sectors.
The Total Producer Price Index in Industry rose by 4.9% in January 2025 compared to the previous month. An increase of 11.7% was registered in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, in the manufacturing industry - by 6.1%, and in the mining and quarrying industry - by 3.5%.
The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market increased by 5.4% in January 2025 compared to December 2024. The domestic prices grew in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 17.5%, and in the manufacturing industry - by 6.0%, while in the mining and quarrying industry a decrease by 0.1% was reported.
The Total Producer Price Index went up by 12.5% in January 2025 compared to the same month in 2024. An increase was observed in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 34.2%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 27.1%, as well as in the manufacturing industry - by 8.5%.
The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market increased by 14.4% compared to January 2024. The prices rose in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 41.2%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 19.3%, and in the manufacturing industry - by 6.9%.
The National Statistical Institute has published final 2023 data on research and development (R&D) activity. In 2023, the total amount of expenditure on research and development activity (R&D) was 1 467.5 million BGN, which was 15.9% more than the previous year. The personnel engaged in R&D activity amounted to 25 410 persons (in full-time equivalent), which was 6.2% less compared to 2022.
Detailed data are published on the website of NSI under the heading “Research and development activity (R&D)”.